This chapter put on display the mind’s powers: the abilities to categorize objects in an instant, create sentences that adhere to complex linguistic rules, and form mental images that we traverse as if the world had been recreated in our heads. Yet it also displayed the mind’s limits. When making decisions about risky, uncertain options, our minds rely on simple rules of thumb that sometimes lead us astray.

The mind can do even more than you’ve seen in this chapter. It gives you the power not only to think, but also to be aware of the fact that you are thinking. You not only can solve problems like a computer; you can feel proud of your solutions—unlike a computer. The abilities to be consciously aware of the world and yourself, and to feel as well as think, are explored in other chapters on the mind.

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Chapter Review Now that you have completed this chapter, be sure to turn to Appendix B, where you will find a Chapter Summary that is useful for reviewing what you have learned about thinking, language, and intelligence.