The thinking problem

Our brains must make sense of the confusing world around us by processing a never-ending stream of information. Ideally, our brains would analyze everything thoroughly. However, they cannot, because it is too impractical.

• Thinking takes time, and our decisions must often be fast. You must immediately know to cross a road quickly, when you hear a car rapidly approaching.
• Thinking also uses energy and our brains have only a limited supply. Analyzing everything would quickly deplete our energy stores.
  These limitations represent a thinking problem: Our brains simply do not have enough resources to understand the world without taking some mental shortcuts.