Welcome to the Know Thyself blog !

It is said that when Plato built his Academy in Athens (c. 385 BC), he had the words "Gnothi Seauton" inscribed at the top of the entrance. Ascribed to his teacher, the famed Socrates, the words translate to "Know Thyself" - which was his motto and advice to anyone who came to him for learning.

This blog is an attempt to initiate a dialog on the subject.
Please add your comments to enrich this discussion.

Mental Operating States

At any given time, we operate from a state of mind that accesses different levels of knowledge or information. We are more productive if we are consciously aware of this state and can actively move up or down as needed.

For instance, if we're trying to solve a problem for which we don't have enough information, Analysis can not lead us to the answer. Spending too much time in that mode will only frustrate us. Actively moving up to Common Sense or Perspective, or down to Memory to access additional information, will take us closer to our objective.

Each of these states is useful for its own purpose, but applying one where another is needed will not lead to clear decision making. However, the higher states of mind are generally more effective in solving complex problems because they often incorporate information available in the lower states, without our knowing it.

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