Mind Is Flat: The Remarkable Shallowness of the Improvising Brain

Nick Chater, a cognitive psychologist, argues against the intuition that the human mind is a deep, complex system with hidden layers of processing. In this accessible work, he proposes that consciousness is largely a flat, improvised narrative constructed in real-time to make sense of the world. Chater suggests that what we perceive as deep thought is often a post-hoc rationalization of intuitive, shallow processes, challenging traditional views of mental architecture.

The book blends academic research with a conversational, witty tone, making complex theories of cognition and philosophy of mind approachable for a general audience. By framing the mind as a storyteller rather than a deep processor, Chater invites readers to reconsider the nature of selfhood, decision-making, and the illusion of control we feel over our own thoughts.

Description adapted from Open Library bibliographic data ↗.