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Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: How Intelligence Increases When You Think Less

Guy Claxton

3.96 · Rating details · 223 ratings · 27 reviews

In these accelerated times, our decisive and businesslike ways of thinking are unprepared for ambiguity, paradox, and sleeping on it." We assume that the quick-thinking "hare brain" will beat out the slower Intuition of the "tortoise mind." However, now research in cognitive science is changing this understanding of the human mind. It suggests that patience and confusion-- ...more

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Paperback, 272 pages

Published December 8th 1999 by Ecco (first published May 15th 1997)

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Mar 12, 2010 Alison Livingston rated it liked it

This book is alright. A good concept. But save yourself several hours by reading this sage bit of wisdom: Sometimes you can't solve problems by pounding them out with a mental hammer. Sometimes they just come to you after a long bout of waiting and lazily thinking it over.

There, you just saved yourself the trouble of reading a whole book. That basically sums it up.

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Nov 17, 2018 Amber Foxx rated it it was amazing

“Unencumbered by the Thought Process”

This book has been around a while, but it has aged well, with the exception of a few sections in the final chapter in which the author considers the future. Not bad. I read it around the turn of the 21st century when it first came out. At the time, I was an academic, not a fiction writer, so I read it as psychology research. Then as now, I practiced yoga and meditation, so the observations on mindfulness and the relationship of our busy “hare brain” with our “Unencumbered by the Thought Process”

This book has been around a while, but it has aged well, with the exception of a few sections in the final chapter in which the author considers the future. Not bad. I read it around the turn of the 21st century when it first came out. At the time, I was an academic, not a fiction writer, so I read it as psychology research. Then as now, I practiced yoga and meditation, so the observations on mindfulness and the relationship of our busy “hare brain” with our slower, nonverbal “tortoise mind” or undermind were meaningful to me both times through the book.
The second time around, however, Claxton’s examination of how the undermind works struck me as relevant to mystery fiction. In a number of well-written series, I’ve noticed how authors integrate their detectives’ intuition with their reasoning. The undermind detects subtle patterns and changes in them that the conscious, logical, reasoning mind doesn’t. When these discoveries surface and both minds meet, so to speak, it can seem like an epiphany. Scientists, inventors, psychotherapists, and other who face problems or puzzles that are complex and ambiguous go through this process.
So do writers, at least those of us who don’t plan ahead with an outline. A pantser” (one who writes flying by the seat of her pants) creates a plot without consciously knowing where it's going, often not knowing who committed the crime let alone how it will be solved, and yet the undermind seems to know, planting clues and connecting patterns. The logical mind has to follow up and cut, revise and polish, tightening the undermind’s creation, but the first draft bubbles up from below the surface.
Claxton cites studies in which research subjects performed worse under pressure and when trying to succeed, and better when they were told to play. If we’re too serious and ambitious, we may be less intelligent. Much learning takes place by simply messing around with things and ideas to see what works. Without leisure, without mental open space in which to mess around and let the undermind play, we miss access to our deeper wisdom.
Next time you have a flash of inspiration in the shower or while washing dishes, thank your undermind. I’ve solved more plot problems and had more ideas on a four-mile run than I ever have by structuring an outline. No headphones. No input. Just me and my undermind. Unencumbered, as Tom Magliozzi used to say, by the thought process.
https://www.cartalk.com/content/tom-m...
...more

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Feb 16, 2016 Barry Davis rated it really liked it

Shelves: intuition, thinking-slowly

I first learned of this book while reading a Fast Company article interviewing the inimitable John Cleese on Creativity (indeed, his quote 1Cthe essential guide to creative thinking 1D sits on the bottom righthand corner of the cover). Subtitled 1CHow intelligence increases when you think less, 1D this fascinating book is not an easy read. I must confess that I had some issues with the author 19s take on the evolution of thought as well as some of the applied meditation and wisdom theories, but I first learned of this book while reading a Fast Company article interviewing the inimitable John Cleese on Creativity (indeed, his quote 1Cthe essential guide to creative thinking 1D sits on the bottom righthand corner of the cover). Subtitled 1CHow intelligence increases when you think less, 1D this fascinating book is not an easy read. I must confess that I had some issues with the author 19s take on the evolution of thought as well as some of the applied meditation and wisdom theories, but there is still much to be gained from making it through to the end.

Providing a strong case for the use of what he calls the 1Cundermind, 1D psychologist Claxton provides study after study to demonstrate how much we can gain by going beyond what he calls 1Cd-mode thinking 1D - the analytical, one answer approach that says thinking harder is the best way to solve every problem. If you cannot, you are simply not bright enough. D-mode thinking, elevated and enhanced by the computer age, has its application, but for many more complex problems it simply will not provide the best results, if any at all. Some of its shortcomings include valuing answers more than questions, explanation over observation, reason over intuition, and is much more purposeful and effortful than playful. Fascinating chapters include Learning by Osmosis, Having an Idea, Knowing More Than We Think, Thinking Too Much, Perception Without Consciousness, Paying Attention and The Undermind Society: Putting the Tortoise to Work.

Early in his book Claxton provides this guidance on thinking fast or slow: 1CWhether to back the hare or the tortoise depends crucially on the nature of the situation. If it is complex, unfamiliar, or behaves unexpectedly, tortoise mind is the better bet. If it is a nice logical puzzle, try the hare brain first. 1D

This is a challenging book to ingest, but the patient reader can glean much about balancing reason (which does have its place) and intution (typically present in all of us at a young age, effectively drilled out of many of us by young adulthood through concentration on knowing rather than acquiring know-how). Claxton 19s concern, demonstrated in the words of the German composer Conradin Kreuter in 1955 as he described the difference between 1Ccalculative 1D and 1Cmeditative 1D thinking is that 1Ccalculative thinking may someday come to be accepted and practised as the only way of thinking.... Then man would have denied and thrown away his own special nature - that he is a meditative being. 1D

In the final chapter of this extraordinary book - The Undermind Society - the author posits the creation of work places and situations where the value of intutions and the nature of the mental modes that produce them are clearly understood by all, especially leaders who both support and practice 1Cslow learning. 1D Providing workers with some autonomy and control over their work and environment will allow them to feel 1Csafe 1D to be more innovative and intuitive.

Claxton closes with these thoughts: 1CThe voices of philosophy, poetry and imagery are relatively weak in a world that largely assumes that only science and reason speak with true authority.... The hare brain has had a good run for its money. Now it is time to give the tortoise mind its due. 1D ...more

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Nov 01, 2015 Jonathan Kramer rated it really liked it

Guy makes some extremely important points in this book when he defines intelligence as related to learning and creativity. Coining terms like 'undermind' rather than subconscious as well as 'd-mode' thinking he demonstrates through an array of studies coupled with a Zen essence how 'rushing' answers often works against us. In fact often the 'best' answer is one that's yet to come, aka Tortoise Mind.

In particular I love that he addresses the legacy educational systems and how standardizing human ...more

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Aug 06, 2013 Shane rated it it was amazing

Not only is this a wonderful book for stretching your linguistic muscle on, but it is also a book that encourages you to "zone out" reminds you to "chill" and advocates doing nothing to come up with good ideas. Love it.

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Jul 14, 2015 Frano Jančić rated it really liked it

Shelves: znanost

Author Guy Claxton explains in detail how brain works. I was introduced to concept of unconscious mind and how it behaves in everyday life. This is not theory you learn in school so be prepared for something new, revolutionary. Use this book to prepare yourself for life-long learning.

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Nov 15, 2012 Maria Gerrish rated it liked it

I read this book as part of my MA in Human Resource Management. Found the concepts interesting however I did get a little bored towards the end but it's probably a lot more easier to read than some of other literature on the subject. A good starting point for problem solving topics

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Oct 06, 2010 Barbara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is about brain science and more - Philosophy, psychology, spirituality, art, and wisdom. I receive echos of this book every time I am working on a problem.
It encourages us, as does Buddhism, to be in the present moment - and shows why that works.

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Oct 01, 2017 Gary Moreau rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I finished reading this book with an armful of “aha’s!” and one question: Why hasn’t this book been the number one bestseller since its publication in May of 2016? It is beyond transformative and that it is not commonly acknowledged to be is the best evidence I can offer as to why it should be.

Mr. Claxton is a cognitive scientist, in his own words, but apparently has a strong professional background in the psychology of learning, and at least a passing interest in Eastern philosophy.

The premise I finished reading this book with an armful of “aha’s!” and one question: Why hasn’t this book been the number one bestseller since its publication in May of 2016? It is beyond transformative and that it is not commonly acknowledged to be is the best evidence I can offer as to why it should be.

Mr. Claxton is a cognitive scientist, in his own words, but apparently has a strong professional background in the psychology of learning, and at least a passing interest in Eastern philosophy.

The premise of this book is both brilliant and fairly straightforward, although it is always presumptuous of a reader to stake that claim. Claxton makes a convincing scientific case that the “scientific” perspective—what he calls the “d-mode” (deliberate)—has come to totally dominate our social, commercial, and educational institutions. And while he does not reject this development out of hand, he does make a strong case that the perspective is incomplete and has caused us to overlook the essential humanity and importance of the unconscious—what he calls the “undermind,” the place where intuition, contemplation, and instinct reside.

The undermind is not the Freudian subconscious, but is the vast area of thought that is not consciously recognized or understood. This is the tortoise part of thought where slow thinking—slow knowing as he refers to it—is the most effective, and often the only, path to truth. Speed, in these cases—or hareful thinking (my own phrase)—is not just ineffective, but counter-productive. If it is truth that we’re after, the hare, in these cases, is a red herring.

Claxton proffers that conscious rational thought and underminded thinking are ideally suited to different problems. As in the case of the Chinese notion of yin and yang, they are complementary, not opposing, modes of thought. One, in fact, cannot exist without the other. (To be fair to the author, he does explicitly make that comparison.)

There are many ramifications of the one-dimensional pre-occupation we see today. In the world of business, companies have essentially sterilized themselves, finding themselves incapable of timely innovation in fast-paced markets that demand it. For the same reason, moreover, they have destroyed any sense of engagement and belonging in the workplace, stifling both creativity and productivity in the process.

My own gestalt in this area while reading this book was that this pre-occupation with conscious reason—big data, statistical analysis, talent management, and financial modeling—is the reason why the work/life question is in the forefront of so many corporate minds, particularly among the young. If we accept the value of tortoise-knowing, the question literally evaporates. We can even work, as I did some four decades ago, in our sleep, without the stress felt today due to our blind focus on deductive reason and the false confidence we place in fast decisions.

Claxton is even more concerned, and on point, when it comes to education. We are not preparing our children for a life of learning. We are preparing them to perform on standardized testing, or convincing them that their “abilities” are fixed and cannot be improved upon. Both are unproductive and ultimately inhumane outcomes. We are setting our children up (I have two daughters in high school.) both for failure and for a life of angst and anxiety as they struggle to remain connected in a meaningful way to the world around them.

While he doesn’t address these issues directly, I do believe that Claxton has also uncovered a significant root cause of the political division, and the struggle around class, race, gender, and sexual identity that is tearing the very fabric of Western society apart today.

The reason is outside the peripheral vision of the hare, but within the sweeping visual arc of the attentive but subconscious tortoise. When we see conscious rationality as both exclusive and all-inclusive, as the hare does, it is a short hop from “I am right,” to, “You are wrong.” There can, as a result, be no diversity at any level.

So who would this book benefit? If you ask the hare you will get a short list in return. If you ask the tortoise, however, you will see the value of this book to business people, political leaders, educators, parents, and adolescents. I can’t think of anyone, in fact, who would not benefit from this book.

I do not know Mr. Claxton and never heard of him or this book before stumbling across it in the Kindle deal section. I am a voracious reader and was running out of money to satiate my appetite now that $15 is not an uncommon price for a Kindle book. This book was a steal by comparison but is one of the most powerful and thought-provoking books I’ve read this year.
...more

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Mar 08, 2018 Claire N rated it it was ok

I really liked the idea of this book but overall thought it definitely could have been more condensed and a little clearer. If you don't have a semi strong background in psychology it may be a little much. However, it had some interesting ideas.

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May 17, 2012 Sarah rated it it was amazing

"Wisdom arises from a friendly and intimate relationship with the undermind." By the "undermind," psychologist Guy Claxton is referring to the nebulous part of our mind usually referred to as the "subconscious." In his illuminating book "Hair Brain, Tortoise Mind," Claxton expounds the benefits of allowing "slow ways of thinking" to help us find solutions to complex problems. In other words, by relaxing our minds and attending closely to the details of seemingly disparate elements, patterns will ...more

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Apr 27, 2007 Dennis rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

Makes a strong case that we over-value a highly reasoned approach to living. It shows the pitfalls of analyzing and over-analyzing and shows, empirically, how sometimes it is just as important (maybe even more so) to "sleep on it" and to rely on that gut feeling. It also shows when which mode of thinking will be more productive.

Though Glaxton speaks of the unconscious "undermind", if you replace this with "subconscious", this book fits in well with every hypnotist's library.

Includes a huge colle ...more

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May 13, 2015 Diane Woodrow rated it it was amazing

Here is a book that made me weep. As a home schooler this was how I taught my children, to sit, to think, to wait, to understand that there are more outcomes than just the logical one. I am now a part time tutor and find that I ache when I get told by parents that I am not working their child hard enough. If only I could get them to read this book and know how much more is going on than just the "workings out on the page".
A wonderful book that all involved in education or parenting or are into ...more

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Jun 20, 2007 Rachel rated it really liked it

If your own brain works against you, especially in the areas of creativity, and if you are fundamentally interested in brain science and cognition, this book will satisfy, and maybe even make you feel a little more whole. The pop-title and jacket description make it sound more fluffy than it actually is; true, it is written for the lay-person, but it's not a surface treatment. The author's writing style is clear and pretty penetrative. I ate this one up like candy.

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Jul 11, 2007 Will Napier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: those interested in scientific investigation of intuition

Shelves: mindmatters

Perhaps we've all experienced thinking hard about something, only for the solution to pop into our heads when we give up and have a bath. Or sleep. It is refreshing to read proper psychology done by a proper psychologist (proper = backed up with experimental investigation) in an area where so much fluff abounds. If you want to understand how to 'incubate' your creative thinking and gain confidence in your intuition, read this book. Only 226 pages!

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Jan 15, 2017 Dan rated it it was amazing

Excellent exposition of the powers of the subconscious mind- the "undermind" as the author calls it. You realize the biases that modern society has toward engaging in conscious, analytical thinking. New idea: the conscious experience is not the driver or the one in charge, but just the result of the undermind working overtime and bringing certsin processes to the surface.

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Oct 05, 2016 Kimberly White rated it really liked it

This is not the most engaging writing I've ever encountered, but I was really fascinated by the content.
Try Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow" for a more accessible approach to the same general topic if the wordy writing bogs you down, but this one has more info and a more rigorous approach, and I think is worth getting through.

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Jan 18, 2016 Bryant Macfarlane rated it liked it

I guess it distilled down to the near axiomatic suggestion that knee jerk reactions are seldom the best for any intelligent action. The book was filled with a dry wit, but all in all seemed less than compelling.

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Nov 22, 2010 Shawn Stone rated it really liked it · review of another edition

If you've ever had epiphanies or sudden answers to problems that you've been mulling over for ages, this book explains they whys and hows to more effectively cultivate the undermind thinking mode of the subconscious. Very good read.

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Dec 20, 2007 Public Words rated it it was amazing

Claxton describes different ways of learning and gives the reader a real insight into how to learn more, faster and better. Cramming for the Bar Exam, a college final, or a new subject on the job? You'll do it differently after you read this.

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Apr 21, 2008 Public Words rated it liked it

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Mar 26, 2012 Christine rated it it was amazing

Life-changing thoughts on intuition.

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Jul 27, 2011 Jelle rated it liked it

OK book, content is good, but he could have said everything in a book of half the size.

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Oct 25, 2010 Barbara rated it it was amazing

explains why sleeping on it is a smart thing.

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Apr 23, 2010 Scott Ford rated it liked it

Claxton exposes the over-reliance on analytical thinking as the bane of contemporary problem solving. Very Zen!

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Jul 20, 2015 Charles Thornton rated it it was ok

Fascinating to learn how the brain works and this concept is helpful but could be communicated in a lot less pages.

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Jul 19, 2007 Jrobertus rated it it was ok · review of another edition

a psychologist pleads for a greater appreciation of the unconscious mind in problem solving. this is well know, as the 3 bs, in physics etc. ok book

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Justin Summay rated it it was ok
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About Guy Claxton

Guy Claxton

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Guy Claxton is Emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences at the University of Winchester. His many publications include Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less. He lives in the UK.

Books by Guy Claxton

What's the Point of School?: Rediscovering the Heart of Education

Educating Ruby: What our children really need to learn

Intelligence in the Flesh: Why Your Mind Needs Your Body Much More Than It Thinks

The Wayward Mind: An Intimate History of the Unconscious

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Quotes from Hare Brain, Torto...

“As we have seen, the modern mind has a distorted image of itself that leads it to neglect some of its own most valuable learning capacities. We now know that the brain is built to linger as well as to rush, and that slow knowing sometimes leads to better answers. We know that knowledge makes itself known through sensations, images, feelings and inklings, as well as through clear, conscious thoughts. Experiments tell us that just interacting with complex situations without trying to figure them out can deliver a quality of understanding that defies reason and articulation. Other studies have shown that confusion may be a vital precursor to the discovery of a good idea. To be able to meet the uncertain challenges of the contemporary world, we need to heed the message of this research, and to expand our repertoire of ways of learning and knowing to reclaim the full gamut of cognitive possibilities.” — 0 likes

“Everything is gestation and bringing forth. To let each impression and each germ of a feeling come to completion wholly in itself, in the dark, in the inexpressible, the unconscious, beyond the reach of one’s own intelligence, and await with deep humility and patience the birth-hour of a new clarity: that alone is living the artist’s life. Being an artist means not reckoning and counting, but ripening like the tree which does not force its sap, and stands confident in the storms of spring without the fear that after them may come no summer. It does come. But it comes only to the patient, who are there as though eternity lay before them, so unconcernedly still and wide. Rainer Maria Rilke” — 0 likes

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