We now know from modern cognitive science, that the fundamental nature of our cognition is what is called “natural intelligence.”
Natural intelligence is what every living thing relies on, including us, to navigate an extremely complex, ever-changing environment to survive and thrive.
Natural intelligence is the most powerful form of intelligence we know of. It’s considered by A.I. researchers to be well beyond what any A.I. system is capable of.
It’s the same capacity that makes it possible to learn new things, to innovate, to reach insights. It’s the same capacity that scientists use to have major breakthroughs. It’s what we use to make sense of and navigate our world.
And every single one of us is born with this same capacity, this same natural intelligence.
But well-established research now shows that there are many factors and forces all around us, that are blocking, impairing, and breaking down our natural intelligence, without us being able to notice.
The breakdown of natural intelligence leads to painful psychological states, the inability to think clearly, make good decisions, and navigate away from harm.
And collectively, the breakdown of natural intelligence leads to increased conflict, failures to coordinate with each other, and an inability to navigate and address collective challenges.
The good news is that modern cognitive science has revealed exactly how natural intelligence breaks down. And because we know how it breaks down, we know how to reverse it.
There are real things we now know how to do, and can do today to check if our natural intelligence is being impaired, to bring it back online, to strengthen it, and to protect it. And there are powerful ways that technology, if used in the right ways, can accelerate and enhance it.
How would our lives be different, how would our world be different, and what would be possible if we applied the most powerful intelligence we have to the most pressing problems that we face in our own lives and in the world?