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Decision making Quote by Oliver Sacks

“judgment is the most important faculty we have. An animal, or a man, may get on very well without ‘abstract attitude’ but will speedily perish if deprived of judgment. Judgment must be the first faculty of higher life or mind—yet it is ignored, or misinterpreted, by classical (computational)…” quote by Oliver Sacks
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““judgment is the most important faculty we have. An animal, or a man, may get on very well without ‘abstract attitude’ but will speedily perish if deprived of judgment. Judgment must be the first faculty of higher life or mind—yet it is ignored, or misinterpreted, by classical (computational) neurology. And if we wonder how such an absurdity can arise, we find it in the assumptions, or the evolution, of neurology itself.””

Oliver Sacks

About This Quote

Source Book: An Anthropologist on Mars, Oliver Sacks, 1995

Judgment is essential for higher cognition; without it, even intelligent beings cannot thrive.

In simple terms: Judgment is crucial for advanced thinking.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate critical thinking skills.

Themes

cognition human nature neuroscience

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical scientific

When to use this quote

  • education
  • clinical practice
  • AI development
  • personal decision making

Key Concepts

philosophy critical thinking evolutionary biology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does modern neuroscience account for judgment?
  • Can judgment be trained?
A Different Perspective

Judgment can be clouded by bias and emotional overload.

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