To help us learn a bit more about these mental models, we first need to take a look at how the mind works and then how the models can come in and make a difference. The best first step that we can take to help understand how the mind works is to look at a computer model. A human-like robotic computer is going to be the closest that we can get to see how the mind works for now, so let’s focus on that.
Using a computer model, there is going to be a part for the hardware, and a part for the software. The robotic computer is going to have what is known as the main body, which will include the torso and the head, as well as some limbs that are a part of the peripheral limbs. The thinking part of this kind of model is going to rest in the head, just like with us. Inside the head, we are going to see that there is a CPU, which is going to act as the brain of the computer. The visible part of this CPU is going to be the hardware and the parts that we are not able to see will be the software.
In the same way, the brain is going to have parts that are the software and then parts that are the hardware. The part that is the software is going to be the mind. We are able to see the mind as a type of container where our mindset will be able to reside. And the mindset is simply going to be a set of a lot of different software programs we use. Just like the software on a computer has several sets of programs that are meant to play their own role, this helps to make sure that everything functions the way that it does.
To clarify, the mind is going to be like the software. And the mindset is going to be the collection of a unique set of instructions or programs that will each tell the brain how to execute the specific functions that it should. When it comes to working with computer software, we do have the system software as well as the application software.
To start with the system software, this is going to be the part of the brain that will manage all of the internal functions of our mind, with regards to how it is going to properly manage any resources that it has. The application software is going to comprise different sets of programs, and each one is going to be designed to execute specific functions when it is triggered by some kind of stimuli that is external, such as the environment. Because of this, the Application software is going to be based on the environment that is around it. This could be more specific by talking about how to interact productively with the external environment.
The software itself, which is going to be our mindsets here, is going to be crafted more like an interface that works between the external environment and the internal environment. This software is going to be crafted based on a lot of different models. First off, the “System software” in the mind is going to be based on some of the internal things that we hold inside the body. Then the “Application software” is going to be crafted based on how the external model outside of the body is behaving.
However, we will see that the actual interface that happens between the two of these needs to be both external and internal features. They have to be able to work well together in order to get the mind to work the way that we want. The external model is going to be more dynamic compared to the internal one. The reason for this is because the external environment is going to be more dynamic and fluid, and this results in us needing more dynamism, adaptability, and flexibility in our application model.
. This means that we need to make sure that the Application model is going to turn out multidimensional as if in a way to obey Adam Smith’s concept of the many-sided man. This is the reason why we are going to have hundreds, if not more of these Application models, which are going to come about naturally because humans have a big desire to cope with the external environment that is always changing around them.
It is going to be on the basis of this multidimensional and many-sided perspective that this book is able to establish some of the foundations that we are going to work on. Our goal is to explore, dissect, and then synthesize some of the best mental models that are established, ones that have been put together to make it easier for humans to cope with the ever-changing environment that is all around them.
It is common for a lot of us to feel lost in the modern world, trying to adapt to things that are always changing and we may not always know how to deal with these kinds of situations. But with the help of these mental models, we can better understand the world around us, become more adaptable, make better decisions, and so much more.
