The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence
by Paul Davies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010
The Pythagorean Theorem: The Story of Its Power and Beauty
by Alfred S. Posamentier. Prometheus Books, 2010
The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind
by Barbara Strauch. Viking, 2010
EXHIBITS
The Race to the End of the Earth
May 2010–January 2011 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
The Deep
May 28–September 5 at the Natural History Museum in London.
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3 Comments
Add CommentFor the vast majority of people and situations, multitasking seems to be a very inefficient use of one's mental resources even when those people believe themselves to be working more efficiently.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn fact, those who fail to also practice more contemplative modes of concentration (and of course those who fail to get quality sleep) may suffer from a diminished ability to do so when the situation calls for it.
Some background information, for skimming or pondering, as your case may be:
http://www.google.com/search?q=multitasking+site:sciencedaily.com
Is this a zero-sum-game, or could we become better at both multitasking at a frantic pace and spending extended periods of time thinking quietly and deeply? I have yet to see a scientific paper supporting this possibility, but it would be a comforting thought.
Worst than that...it' mostly unreal junk and takes up too much time.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMore to the point, we don't "multitask" any more than a (single core) computer does. What we call "multitasking" actually involves dividing our attention among a number of tasks, then switching back and forth among them.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBesides being downright inefficient (think of all the overhead all that task-switching involves), it is also unhealthy for its practitioners. Suggested reading: "Type A behavior and Your Heart".