Storythinking: The New Science of Narrative Intelligence
Jun 2023 · Columbia University Press
3.0star
1 reviewreport
Ebook
190
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
Every time we think ahead, we are crafting a story. Every daily plan—and every political vision, social movement, scientific hypothesis, business proposal, and technological breakthrough—starts with “what if?” Linking causes to effects, considering hypotheticals and counterfactuals, asking how other people will react: these are the essence of narrative. So why do we keep overlooking story’s importance to intelligence in favor of logic?
This book explains how and why our brains think in stories. Angus Fletcher, an expert in neuroscientific approaches to narrative, identifies this capacity as “storythinking.” He demonstrates that storythinking is fundamental to what makes us human. Artificial intelligence can perform symbolic logic, rational deduction, and mathematical calculation, but it is incapable of deliberating in narrative. Drawing on new research in neuroscience and narrative theory, Fletcher explores the nature of imagination, innovation, and creativity. He provides concise answers to big questions: How does storythinking work? Why did it evolve? How can it misfire? What problems can it solve?
Revealing the significance of storythinking from science to business to philosophy, this book also provides ways for readers to harness its power to script better tomorrows.
This book explains how and why our brains think in stories. Angus Fletcher, an expert in neuroscientific approaches to narrative, identifies this capacity as “storythinking.” He demonstrates that storythinking is fundamental to what makes us human. Artificial intelligence can perform symbolic logic, rational deduction, and mathematical calculation, but it is incapable of deliberating in narrative. Drawing on new research in neuroscience and narrative theory, Fletcher explores the nature of imagination, innovation, and creativity. He provides concise answers to big questions: How does storythinking work? Why did it evolve? How can it misfire? What problems can it solve?
Revealing the significance of storythinking from science to business to philosophy, this book also provides ways for readers to harness its power to script better tomorrows.
Ratings and reviews
3.0
1 review
Andrea Romance
- Flag inappropriate
June 6, 2023
This book for philosophers suggests that humans think both logically and narratively. We learn and create by telling ourselves stories. Logic isn't enough. The author's arguments use philosophy and myth rather than logic, which aren't necessarily persuasive in proving scientific concepts. I love the idea of narrative thinking. I wish the content had been presented more factually. This book is for fans of philosophy, not science or storytelling. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.
About the author
Angus Fletcher is professor of story science at Ohio State University’s Project Narrative. His most recent book is Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature (2021). His research has been published in journals such as Harvard Business Review and Annals of the New York Academy of Science.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
