Multimind

by Robert Ornstein

Overview

Robert Ornstein's classic 'Multimind' presents a startling new concept of how the human mind works. In a readable and accessible way, Ornstein introduces the new science of the mind, explaining why our emotions and attitudes are so easily swayed, and the difficulty of ever really knowing oneself, or another person. Ornstein faults the narrowness of IQ tests, stressing the many varied abilities that make up intelligence. Citing studies of hypnosis and multiple personality, he explains how several minds coexist in each of us - that each of us has many "small minds" that simultaneously, but independently process feelings, fantasies, ideas, fixed routines, interpersonal responses in bodily skills. As we travel through our daily lives, different parts of our "minds" come to the fore to handle different situations. This means that "we" are not the same person from moment to moment with different memories and abilities in different situations. Reading this groundbreaking book will help you take a step towards understanding who we really are.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781883536299
Publisher:	Institute for Study of Human Knowledge
Publication date:	06/28/2003
Pages:	220
Sales rank:	338,832
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.46(d)

Editorial Reviews

The author of The Psychology of Consciousness here defines the human mind as a ``bastard hybrid system.'' Each of us has many ``small minds'' that simultaneously process feelings, fantasies, ideas, fixed routines, interpersonal responses and bodily skills. While Ornstein's ``multimind'' theory is more descriptive than explanatory, it offers a welcome alternative to trendy computer models, split-brain theories and Freudianism. Multimind helps explain why our emotions and attitudes are easily swayed, the difficulty of ever really knowing oneself or another person, and how mental shortcuts we rely on to make snap judgments can harden prejudices. Ornstein faults the narrowness of IQ tests by stressing the varied abilities that make up intelligence. He cites studies of hypnosis and multiple personality in support of the view tht several minds can coexist in one person. It's worth heeding his axiom, ``Whatever enters consciousness is greatly overemphasized.'' (May)

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