The idea of a scientific exploration of intuition seems oxymoronic. This is, however, definitely science in action, if in its infancy. Pearson, as a psychologist and neuroscientist based at UNSW, has been studying intuition for decades. He defines it as, ‘the learnt, productive use of unconscious information to improve decisions or actions’. The book is an amalgam of anecdote and science, along with an acronym-guided algorithm to follow to enable the reader to properly understand and accurately access their own ‘gut instinct’.
Situating that ‘gut instinct’ within science is recognised as the eighth sense, interoception. (The sixth is proprioception, and the seventh is vestibular sense.) Interoception is sensing the feelings within the body, either consciously or unconsciously. It is this unconscious feeling Pearson examines and develops in The Intuition Toolkit.
He begins by relating two life-and-death intuitive decisions made by a pilot and mountaineer, saving their lives although other lives were lost. This is a dramatic beginning, but Pearson is at pains to explain that intuitive decisions can be as simple as deciding which café would suit better. Indeed, this is where he’d prefer the reader to begin when/if deciding to follow his methods.
The acronym for utilising intuition is easily remembered: SMILE. ‘Self-awareness’, ‘Mastery’, ‘Impulses and addictions’, ‘Low probability’, and ‘Environment’. It may not be obvious what each section relates to – the acronym is easy; the mnemonic is not so simple to decipher.
This is a nascent science, and it’s perhaps the reason why I’m not fully convinced. Pearson himself calls for further investigation. That would be very welcome.
Reviewed by Bob Moore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Like most people, I’m excited by discovery. I’m a scientist, but unlike many scientists I’m interested in possibilities as much as proof. I’m of the opinion that questions can be more valuable than answers, and that imagination is a powerful catalyst for progress.
It all starts with discovery – radical discovery. I’m addicted to discovery because of how it moves me, but also for how it moves other people. Inspiring people with ideas and explanations is akin to magic in the real world. Beyond inspiration, I use discovery to improve people’s lives: to alleviate suffering and to optimise performance; to lessen depression and anxiety; to control imagination, and to strengthen our decision-making. Radical discovery can improve our realities, individually and collectively, by mitigating the negative and optimising the positive aspects of life.
I come to science from a creative background. As well as a PhD in neuroscience, I’ve been to art school. I bring the informality of a creative approach to the formality of scientific study. I’m comfortable with the uncomfortable, playing as well as proving, working at the edge of knowledge. There is much to be learnt about the human mind from applying a creative lens to the doctrine of science. I’m driven to question what value science can bring to industry, business and the creative sectors. What happens when science goes beyond the lab? How might we evolve the culture of science and help unlock its wider potential in daily life?
I call my field agile science. This means applying a creative mindset to the dogma of science to liberate both scientific study and its application outside academia. It is liberating, because it allows me to look under the hood of the phenomena that we consider beyond the boundaries of scientific analysis and measurement. Demystifying consciousness through neuroscience is the umbrella of my work. I’ve studied imagination, emotion, intuition, creativity, decision-making, memory, visual illusions and mental imagery. I’m the world’s leading authority on aphantasia. These are all vital aspects and idiosyncrasies of humanity that are real, yet believed to be unmeasurable.
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