In his bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman outlined the two modes of thinking that he called System 1 and System 2. Roughly speaking, System 1 mode consists of intellectual processes that are “hard-wired” into our psyche and are performed automatically, or with minimal effort. Our startled reaction to an unexpected loud noise or sexual arousal in response to a pheromone are examples of the System 1 mode, as are swinging a bat or catching a ball. System 2 consists of activities that require full attention and sustained mental effort, such as counting the number of words in a sentence or filling out a government form. Kahneman asserts that System 1 thinking is fast and frugal, i.e., it happens almost instantaneously and demands little cognitive energy. System 2, on the other hand, is slow, but systematic, requiring full attention and consuming significant mental energy. In the answer to this question, we will refer to the System 1 mode of thinking as the visceral component of human intelligence, and System 2 as the cerebral component.
The visceral component of human intelligence appeared during the early stages of human evolution and is readily observed by watching our fellow primates, such as monkeys, as they share love, fight for mating privilege, and display envy and greed. However, during the later stages of our evolution, we mammals developed what is called a six-layered neocortex, layered over the more primitive brain where instinctive reactions and emotions reside. It is believed that the capacity for problem solving and rational thought is housed in the frontal lobe of this late addition to the mammalian brain. While all mammals have a six-layered neocortex, the species differ significantly in the proportion of the brain that it constitutes. As you’ve probably guessed, we humans among all mammals, have indeed the largest proportion of our brains dedicated to cerebral function, giving us a significant ability to reason abstractly and dispassionately. It is this component of intelligence that, according to the Flynn Effect, has been increasing in the new technological society.
Why do we have wars in spite of this increased intelligence? If we explore the root causes of wars, we see that they reside in the visceral dimensions of the human psyche. Hatred among competing tribes, and the quest for power, control, and wealth all reside in this visceral dimension of human cognition. Rational thinking is applied only as a vehicle for achieving viscerally desired goals. As our rational intelligence increases, our technologies for killing become more sophisticated, but we humans remain forever trapped in our emotional nature. Escaping from what is called our “reptilian brain” is complicated by the fact that a pacifist approach to conflict cannot survive in the face of an aggressive visceral adversary. The First World War, deemed “the war to end all wars” was followed by the Second World War, the Korean War, the War in Vietnam, the Cold War and a host of wars in Africa the Middle East, and throughout Asia. The tribal nature of humans, that served as an evolutionary advantage throughout our history, is now coming to a head as our rational brain has found ways to destroy the entire planet. All of our hopes, dreams and desires reside in the visceral parts of our brain, so we are trapped in our evolutionary past. As cartoonist Walt Kelly said in his POGO cartoon, “We have seen the enemy and he is us.”
