Ebook - Experiencing the Impossible Science of Magic by Dr Gustav Kuhn
Description & Effect
Unveiling the Science Behind the Impossible
What makes a magician's trick so captivating? Why do we delight in witnessing the 'impossible'? Dr. Gustav Kuhn, a unique blend of psychologist and magician, delves into these profound questions in 'Experiencing the Impossible: Science of Magic.' This compelling ebook isn't merely about how tricks are performed; it's a profound exploration of what magic reveals about the very fabric of our minds and the limits of our perception.
The Psychology of Deception and Misdirection
Kuhn masterfully dissects the psychological underpinnings of our magical experiences. He introduces the concept of 'cognitive conflict' – the fascinating clash between what we know to be true and what our senses report during an illusion. Drawing on cutting-edge research in psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, Kuhn unveils a compelling scientific theory of misdirection, asserting it's the fundamental secret behind every spellbinding act, explaining why we're so easily fooled.
Exploring the Mind's Mysteries and Malleability
Prepare to explore the intricate workings of your own perception and consciousness. This insightful read investigates our inherent propensity for 'magical thinking' and exposes the surprising malleability of our sensory experiences. Kuhn meticulously examines how easily our memories can be influenced, why we sometimes 'forget' what was right in front of us, and how our sense of free will can be subtly manipulated by external forces, challenging our understanding of self.
Beyond the Stage: Illusion in Everyday Life
The insights within 'Experiencing the Impossible' extend far beyond the entertainment arena. Discover how the principles of illusion and misdirection are expertly applied in diverse fields, from enhancing human-computer interactions and designing user experiences to shaping political discourse, influencing marketing strategies, and even impacting strategies in warfare. This journey will challenge your assumptions about what you see, what you remember, and how much control you truly have over your thoughts and actions.
A Groundbreaking Perspective on Reality
By dissecting the 'impossible,' Dr. Kuhn illuminates the complex, almost magical, mechanisms that govern our daily lives. This ebook offers a groundbreaking perspective on consciousness, perception, and the hidden forces that shape our reality, making it an essential read for anyone curious about the human mind's ultimate secrets and the pervasive power of illusion.
Original Specs
How the scientific study of magic reveals intriguing—and often unsettling—insights into the mysteries of the human mind.
What do we see when we watch a magician pull a rabbit out of a hat or read a person's mind? We are captivated by an illusion; we applaud the fact that we have been fooled. Why do we enjoy experiencing what seems clearly impossible, or at least beyond our powers of explanation? In Experiencing the Impossible, Gustav Kuhn examines the psychological processes that underpin our experience of magic. Kuhn, a psychologist and a magician, reveals the intriguing—and often unsettling—insights into the human mind that the scientific study of magic provides.
Magic, Kuhn explains, creates a cognitive conflict between what we believe to be true (for example, a rabbit could not be in that hat) and what we experience (a rabbit has just come out of that hat!). Drawing on the latest psychological, neurological, and philosophical research, he suggests that misdirection is at the heart of all magic tricks, and he offers a scientific theory of misdirection. He explores, among other topics, our propensity for magical thinking, the malleability of our perceptual experiences, forgetting and misremembering, free will and mind control, and how magic is applied outside entertaiment—the use of illusion in human-computer interaction, politics, warfare, and elsewhere.
We may be surprised to learn how little of the world we actually perceive, how little we can trust what we see and remember, and how little we are in charge of our thoughts and actions. Exploring magic, Kuhn illuminates the complex—and almost magical—mechanisms underlying our daily activities.
