Thinking and intelligence
![Black-and-white photo of a uniformed military officer with a moustache standing in profile outdoors against a blurred landscape.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/eec27f59-d7f6-4512-898d-ba5337104755/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid
Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it
by Sacha Golob
![Close-up of a large mushroom growing on the forest floor surrounded by fallen leaves and trees.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/0f470626-8d85-4f38-8eb8-65cbe91f23d4/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Nature and the environment
idea
The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence
The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory
by Nicholas P Money
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/af5e678b-7829-4f7c-9724-5a9c0a68f8af/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
guide
How to foster ‘shoshin’
It’s easy for the mind to become closed to new ideas. Cultivating a beginner’s mind helps us rediscover the joy of learning
by Christian Jarrett
![Bronze bust of a bearded man with curly hair, showing detailed facial features, on a black background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/279784aa-9dda-4b16-8706-0b49d109c374/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Lost perspective? Try this linguistic trick to reset your view
By using ‘distanced self-talk’, you can leverage the structure of language to take a step back and see the bigger picture
by Ariana Orvell
![Photo of a girl and a woman walking on a pavement with a grey building in the background, casting shadows from a tree.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a197418d-665b-412a-85cc-a9b6e9392f08/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Talking out loud to yourself is a technology for thinking
Talking out loud to oneself is a technology for thinking that allows us to clarify and sharpen our approach to a problem
by Nana Ariel
![A silhouette of a person sitting on a dock with an industrial bridge in the background, captured in sepia tones.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/945db212-9bfa-49ba-a944-287fd1b00823/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
guide
How to think clearly
By learning to question and clarify your thoughts, you’ll improve your self-knowledge and become a better communicator
by Tom Chatfield
![A man sits on grass in a park with others around and a bridge in the background on a sunny day.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/46d285d3-2a02-48d9-8b57-b061f66f8ed7/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Being alone with your thoughts is a skill you can practise
People go to extreme lengths to avoid time with their own thoughts. We’ve found some ways to make it more pleasurable
by Rémy Furrer
![Café scene with people seated at tables, a man cycling outside. Sunlight creates shadows.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6a88f6c6-3907-460e-aac3-41274359b7a0/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Habits and routines
idea
In praise of habits – so much more than mindless reflexes
Rather than mindless mechanisms for routines, habits are a species of belief that display a great deal of intelligence
by Ian Robertson & Katsunori Miyahara
![Black-and-white photo of people sitting at a bar; a man lights a pipe while others converse, drinks and food are on the counter.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/254bcec1-3fce-4482-a9b8-5344cc8c321d/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
guide
How to think like a detective
The best detectives seem to have almost supernatural insight, but their cognitive toolkit is one that anybody can use
by Ivar Fahsing