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About the Book
In this the Knowledge Age, we gorge on fragmented factual and artistic information. But are we experiencing commensurate personal growth? In Cognitive Productivity Beaudoin discussed how to develop ourselves and solve problems with the knowledge we "consume". But what about art?
Discontinuities illustrates the challenge, possibility and necessity of striving for integrated understanding of the world and of ourselves through the art of others. This book presents variations on the theme of learning about ourselves and each other by responding deeply to art in all its forms—story, visual art, music, etc. Through essays, epistles, stories, visual art, puzzles, and more, this book begins to unfurl a new framework for more deeply being transformed by the art we experience.
With contributions from National Teaching Award recipient Prof. Claude Lamontagne, visual artist and Buddhist scholar Lam Wong, sculptor and geneticist, Dr. Al Sather, historian, Dr. Laura Nys, photographer, Andrea Paterson, and painter and psychotherapist Arash Kameli.
While unique in form and content, this book is inspired by Geoffrey Miller's The Mating Mind, Dorothy Tennov's Love and Limerence, Warren McCulloch's Embodiments of Mind, Marvin Minsky's The Society of Mind, Aaron Sloman's notion of discontinuities in the space of possible minds, other works in affective/cognitive science, novels by Paul Auster, Milan Kundera and others, Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, Lizst's Piano Concerto No. 2, Willa Cather's The Troll Garden, E.C. Escher, songs of Jacques Brel, and who knows what else?
See CogZest, http://cogzest.com/tag/art/ and https://cogzest.com/projects/learning-from-fiction/
About the Author
Luc specializes in macOS-based cognitive productivity, emotions, sleep onset and insomnolence. He is the author of Cognitive Productivity books. His work has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Inc., The New York Times, The Guardian, Lifehacker, The International Business Times of London, O'Magazines, Women's Health, CBC, etc.
Luc is co-founder and lead designer of CogSci Apps (which invents cognitive productivity software including Hookmark and mySleepButton®), founder of CogZest (cognitive productivity publications and training), and Adjunct Professor of Education at Simon Fraser University. He has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science (School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham) and and undergrad degree in Psychology. He was a first-round employee of two of Canada's most highly-valued tech startups (Abatis Systems and Tundra Semiconductor). He was previously Assistant Professor of Military Psychology and Leadership at the Royal Military College of Canada.
This eclectic combination of R&D experience led Luc to a new mission in 2001: to help smart people use knowledge, art and technology to become more effective. To this end, he extends and applies integrative design-oriented cognitive science.
Luc's latest book, in progress, is Discontinuities: Love, Art, Mind. His next two books will be on sleep and emotions.
Luc is based in Metro-Vancouver, British Columbia. Still not satisfied? You can read more about him here. And check-out the