A proposal that the cognitive processes that make us moral agents are partially constituted by features of our external environments.

"Absolutely splendid . . . essential for understanding why there is so much bad thinking in political life right now." —David Brooks, New York Times How to Think is a contrarian treatise on why we’re not as good at thinking as we assume—but how recovering this lost art can rescue our inner lives from the chaos of modern life. As a celebrated cultural critic and a writer for national publications like The Atlantic and Harper’s, Alan Jacobs has spent his adult life belonging to communities that often clash in America’s culture wars. And in his years of confronting the big issues that divide us—political, social, religious—Jacobs has learned that many of our fiercest disputes occur not because we’re doomed to be divided, but because the people involved simply aren’t thinking. Most of us don’t want to think. Thinking is trouble. Thinking can force us out of familiar, comforting habits, and it can complicate our relationships with like-minded friends. Finally, thinking is slow, and that’s a problem when our habits of consuming information (mostly online) leave us lost in the spin cycle of social media, partisan bickering, and confirmation bias. In this smart, endlessly entertaining book, Jacobs diagnoses the many forces that act on us to prevent thinking—forces that have only worsened in the age of Twitter, “alternative facts,” and information overload—and he also dispels the many myths we hold about what it means to think well. (For example: It’s impossible to “think for yourself.”) Drawing on sources as far-flung as novelist Marilynne Robinson, basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, British philosopher John Stuart Mill, and Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, Jacobs digs into the nuts and bolts of the cognitive process, offering hope that each of us can reclaim our mental lives from the impediments that plague us all. Because if we can learn to think together, maybe we can learn to live together, too.

In the Company of Like-Minded Women explores the complexities of bonds between sisters and family at the start of the 20th century when women struggled to determine their future and the "New Woman" demanded an equal voice. Three sisters are reunited in 1901 Denver following a family rift many years before. Each sister faces critical decisions regarding love, work, and the strength of her convictions. The success of Colorado women in gaining the right to vote in 1893--twenty-seven years before the passage of national suffrage--and their continued fight for women's rights, provides the background as the story unfolds.

"In Going to Extremes, renowned legal scholar and best-selling author Cass R. Sunstein offers startling insights into why and when people gravitate toward extremism."--Inside jacket.

The award-winning journalist reveals the untold story of why America is so culturally and politically divided in this groundbreaking book. Armed with startling demographic data, Bill Bishop demonstrates how Americans have spent decades sorting themselves into alarmingly homogeneous communities—not by region or by state, but by city and neighborhood. With ever-increasing specificity, we choose the communities and media that are compatible with our lifestyles and beliefs. The result is a country that has become so ideologically inbred that people don't know and can't understand those who live just a few miles away. In The Big Sort, Bishop explores how this phenomenon came to be, and its dire implications for our country. He begins with stories about how we live today and then draws on history, economics, and our changing political landscape to create one of the most compelling big-picture accounts of America in recent memory.

Your mind is like the sky. Sometimes it's clear and blue - but sometimes a raincloud thought comes along and makes everything seem dark. So what can we do about rainclouds? This beautiful picture book, written by psychologist Bronwen Ballard and illustrated by award-winning artist Laura Carlin, shows children that worries and negative thoughts are normal and helps them develop healthy thinking habits. Tips on mindfulness and extra resources for parents are included at the back of the book.

Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast On Purpose, distills the timeless wisdom he learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life. When you think like a monk, you’ll understand: -How to overcome negativity -How to stop overthinking -Why comparison kills love -How to use your fear -Why you can’t find happiness by looking for it -How to learn from everyone you meet -Why you are not your thoughts -How to find your purpose -Why kindness is crucial to success -And much more... Shetty grew up in a family where you could become one of three things—a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. His family was convinced he had chosen option three: instead of attending his college graduation ceremony, he headed to India to become a monk, to meditate every day for four to eight hours, and devote his life to helping others. After three years, one of his teachers told him that he would have more impact on the world if he left the monk’s path to share his experience and wisdom with others. Heavily in debt, and with no recognizable skills on his résumé, he moved back home in north London with his parents. Shetty reconnected with old school friends—many working for some of the world’s largest corporations—who were experiencing tremendous stress, pressure, and unhappiness, and they invited Shetty to coach them on well-being, purpose, and mindfulness. Since then, Shetty has become one of the world’s most popular influencers. In 2017, he was named in the Forbes magazine 30-under-30 for being a game-changer in the world of media. In 2018, he had the #1 video on Facebook with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 38 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos which have amassed more than 8 billion views, and his podcast, On Purpose, is consistently ranked the world’s #1 Health and Wellness podcast. In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. He transforms abstract lessons into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve relationships, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.

Acclaim for Mind Like Water "From What's the Rush? to Whale Done! Jim Ballard is mentor to millions. Now, in Mind Like Water, Ballard, as always, doesn't just show where his powerful and perceptive intellect has been, he takes you along and gives you the tools to revisit and explore on your own. Mind Like Water is a journey to places and spaces you realize you are visiting again for the first time. It's an easy, charming read that shows you how to be exactly where you need to be: calmly in control, regardless of the situation." -Sheldon Bowles, coauthor of Raving Fans "Reading Mind Like Water feels like handing the keys to my car to a very wise man and letting him drive for a while while I just enjoy the ride-and his words. Not only does this book make me think deeply about my work and life, it offers wonderful exercises for assessing and adjusting aspects that have not been working effectively. A must read for anyone struggling with work-home balance and how to find and bring your true self to your daily life." -Jayne Pearl, author of Kids and Money "Jim Ballard puts his finger on the true cause of the anxiety that grips us all in this age of information overload-change. And then he gives us the antidote, a Mind Like Water. Many books inspire and motivate; this one provides a blueprint for actions that can be truly transforming. It is brilliant in its simplicity. Not since Alan Watts has an American author made Eastern knowledge so accessible, relevant, and practical-even for a Type A, stressed-out, left-brain thinking, typical American such as myself." -Ken Miller, President of Teacher Education Institute "Mind Like Water invites the reader to participate in a variety of practical, accessible methods that support us in staying present in the moment, help us see things as they are, and live with equanimity amidst the unpredictability of our lives. Capturing the wisdom of great spiritual teachers, authors, and poets, Mind Like Water offers a respite from the hectic pace of our lives." -Tara Healey, Senior Organizational Consultant, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care "Jim Ballard is one of the most compassionate people I know, and in his new book Mind Like Water he shares some of his warmth and love with readers. If you want a feeling like snuggling into a warm coat on a blustery, wintery day, try opening this book to any page and reading. If you don't absorb some of the wisdom in Mind Like Water then you're just not paying attention." -Noel Burch, coauthor of Teacher Effectiveness Training

More time, spent with fewer people, equals greater kingdom impact. Desiring to see God widely embraced as more than a remote concept, entrepreneur Regi Campbell began a deeply successful mentoring program years ago that has become one of his greatest joys. Though it seemed radical at first—spending more time with less people to further an all important message—he soon realized this is the discipleship model Jesus set out during his ministry; today two billion people worldwide embrace the wisdom He entrusted to a small band of disciples two thousand years ago. Mentor Like Jesus is Campbell’s revelation of what he now calls “next generation mentoring,” an exponentially rewarding process that is resulting in “lives changed, marriages saved, children dealt with in a more loving way.” Readers of any age and in any situation will clearly understand how the return on a meaningful investment in another person is truly immeasurable.

The mind training teachings are a great vehicle instruction, because they are most concerned with developing the awakening mind, the altruistic mind of enlightenment. They are directed primarily towards the practitioner of great capacity, and deal essentially with transforming our metal attitudes. One special feature of the mind training teachings is the advice to transform adversity into advantage. So, not only do these instructions help us open out towards other beings, but they also help us transform whatever difficulties come our way into something valuable. The Mind Training Like the Rays of the Sun exemplifies Tsong-khapa’s presentation of mind training. The author, Nam-kha Pel, as he mentions in his introduction, received the lineage of the explanation of the Seven Point Mind Training, which is the fundamental text here, from various sources including Je Rinpoche, his principal teacher. what is distinctive about this presentation is that he has managed to combine both the mind training instructions as they are recorded in Geshey Che-ka-wa’s text with the pattern of the Stages of the Path.