The Disordered Mind: What Unusual Brains Tell Us About Ourselves

by Eric R. Kandel

Kahneman went on to describe two general systems of thought.12 System 1 is largely unconscious, fast, automatic, and intuitive—like the adaptive unconscious, or what Walter Mischel, a leading cognitive psychologist, calls “hot” thinking. In general, System 1 uses association and metaphor to produce a quick rough draft of an answer to a problem or situation. Kahneman argues that some of our most highly skilled activities require large doses of intuition: playing chess at a master level or appreciating social situations. But intuition is prone to biases and errors. System 2, in contrast, is consciousness-based, slow, deliberate, and analytical, like Mischel’s “cool” thinking. System 2 evaluates a situation using explicit beliefs and a reasoned evaluation of alternatives. Kahneman argues that we identify with System 2, the conscious, reasoning self that makes choices and decides what to think about and what to do, whereas actually our lives are guided by System 1.