Mental models are simulations created by the mind to make sense of the world and predict. Metal models are tools the mind uses for thinking and making decisions. Phil Johnson-Laird and Ruth Byrne have proposed the idea of mental models to explain how humans think.
Models can be three-dimensional objects that people, like ownership or negation, can rotate in their minds or abstract concepts that cannot be visualized. Mental models can be compared to the blueprint of an architect or the DNA model of a biologist, with the distinction that mental models are abstract images that are intangible, and not physical. Models can be drawn from a wide range of fields: economics, biology, military, engineering, math, etc. For another, a model derived from one domain may serve as an analogy.
The theoretical number of mental models is infinite. But some, including Shane Parrish, suggest that you research various mental models to enhance your thought. He has compiled a comprehensive collection of models from different domains that are useful for application to many problem types. Examples include first thought principles: based on fundamental facts rather than referring to what you already know (analogies).
A conceptual model is simply a description of the workings of something. We cannot hold all of the world's complexities in our minds, so we use templates to streamline the vast into understandable and organized chunks.
Some of contents in this book are listed here:
• Mental Models
• The Power of Our Mind
• What Is Your Mental Model?
• Thinking Tools to Increase Your Productivity
• Creative Thinking Skills
• Effective Mental Tools to Get Creative Solutions to Problems
• Decision Making Mistakes to Avoid