Table of Contents

Table of Contents

List of Figures

Preface

Chapter 1. The unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics

Chapter 2. Why logic is never ideal

Chapter 3. Working memory and logical limitations

Chapter 4. Overpowered by emotion

Chapter 5. From cognition to recognition and back again

Chapter 6. Non-algorithmic thinking machine?

Chapter 7. How mathematics can outwit physiology

Afterword

Index

About the Author

Anna Sverdlik is a clinical psychiatrist at Tel Hashomer, a major Israeli hospital. She specializes in brain injury and neurocognitive disorders.

Reviews

This is a remarkable book, taking on the under-investigated overlap between twovery disparate worlds: on the one hand mathematics and rationality, contrasted withemotions and embodiment. Based on the discoveries of modern affective neuroscience,the book makes an impressive attempt at bridging the important conceptual dividebetween feelings and formal thinking, a divide almost as troubling as that betweenmind and brain itself. It made me think about some old ideas in quite new ways.’Professor Oliver Turnbull, Bangor University, UK‘Anna Sverdlik takes the reader on a fascinating journey to discover the nature ofabstract thinking from a neuroscience perspective. Using mathematics as an example,she illustrates how our thinking is deeply rooted in a non-algorithmic component thatrelies on our visceral system. The beauty and elegance of mathematics precisely liesin the fact that it unites logical thinking supported by our neocortex with intuitionssupported by our emotions and body that have evolved to solve problems overthousands of years.’Dr. Melissa Libertus, University of Pittsburgh, USA