Reading Reflection No. 3

Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman

1) What was the general theme or argument of the book?

The general theme or argument of the book is that there are two systems of thought that we as humans use. The first system involves thinking fast, instinctive, and emotional while the second system involves thinking slow, deliberate, and logically. These two different systems of thought are analyzed throughout this novel and explained in detail in order to better understand why and how we think the way we do. 

2) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?

This book connected and enhanced what I am learning in this course because it discusses how people make decisions and analyze situations. These two things are huge characteristics of entrepreneurship in general because when you are proposing and developing a business idea, you are constantly have to make decisions and criticize your position in the business. By understanding the two modes of thought, I was able to connect how I use these two modes and more specifically how I used them while developing my business venture for this class. 

3) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?

If I had to design an exercise for this class based on Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, I would create an exercise that first explained the two systems of thought. After the class had an understanding of the differences between the two, I would have them think about situations in which they used one or the other and write them down. By comparing their experiences with others, they would better understand how these two modes of thought come into play in their daily lives.

4) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?

What I thought was most surprising while reading this book was learning about "system one". System one is considered to be the mode of thought that is very fast, instinctive, and emotional. What surprised me most about learning about system one is that it more commonly used than system two which is more logical and deliberate thought.  It made me think about how many decisions I make very quickly and without much logical analysis even though at first I thought that most decisions we make would involve a slower more thought out approach.