In fact, we often say that you can never earn money beyond your cognition. However, when it comes to what cognition truly is, many might not have a systematic and profound understanding.
In a narrow definition, cognition refers to the brain processing external information and converting it into internal psychological activity, which then governs human behavior. In a broader sense, cognition is a conscious activity. As stated in "Literature and History Knowledge" from its September 1989 issue: "Through words, colors, forms, or impressions, one grasps, experiences, and expresses the general meaning in specific things, establishing connections with the most general or essential aspects of humans, society, nature, and the universe in a cognitive, moral, and aesthetic manner."
From the perspective of the human brain's functional aspects and its connection with nature and the universe, cognition can be broadly divided into three dimensions: spiritual, emotional, and rational cognition. Once you begin to grasp these three dimensions, you may gain a basic understanding of cognition itself.
Modern discussions about cognition predominantly fall into the rational dimension. This involves the brain using methods like thinking, language, abstraction, learning, and practice to establish connections internally.
For instance, when we say we've learned Charlie Munger's multidisciplinary thinking framework, we acquire its knowledge points. Most of this framework becomes our thinking pattern. When facing similar investment decisions, we often apply parts of this framework. One advantage of rational cognition is its efficacy in objective experiments. The result's authenticity often verifies the cognitive learning method, generally manifesting as concise language output, with experiments meeting our expected outcomes.
However, a clear mistake is equating knowledge with cognition. You may memorize information, but its application might not yield exact anticipated outcomes. Even if you're well-versed in Munger's frameworks and have used them hundreds or thousands of times, it's evident you won't become Munger. The cognitive effect of each framework for you varies significantly.
From this perspective, rational cognition resembles drawers containing various methods, labeled as high or low tier. Low tier deals with linear finite system issues, mid-tier tackles problems within the framework system, and high-tier naturally addresses dynamically changing complex system issues. This rational cognition needs constant input, output, feedback, and verification to optimize the system.
Some issues, like scientific experiments, mathematical calculations, and knowledge acquisition, purely rely on rational deduction. However, matters involving emotions, like investment, intimate relationships, or life choices, have the limitations of rational cognition. Recognizing these limitations can benefit your understanding of such complex systems.
For more complex, creative, psychological, or aesthetic issues, our emotional cognition undoubtedly plays a role. For instance, most investors feel fear and aversion when losing money and elation and arrogance when profiting. This is when our emotional cognition is at work, guiding our intuitions.
Discussing Steve Jobs creating the iPhone, we understand he employed a sense called intuition. This emotional cognitive system undergoes continuous training, gradually enabling quick decisions. This dimension often correlates with aesthetics and factors that rational cognition can't calculate, like intricate human relationships.
In essence, everyone innately possesses these two cognitive systems. While many focus on rational cognition, they neglect training their emotional cognition. The result is often a doubt about what they know, and such emotional cognition might not withstand real-world tests.
Our mind acts as a mirror with dimensions of clarity and depth of impressions. We might just project a shadow from the rational system onto the emotional system, unaware of the shadow's clarity or depth. The emotional system can also influence the rational one, often creating a biased reflection.
From an investment perspective, some use the rational system to model and chase the essence, while others use intuition to establish an aesthetic view, then use rationality to filter targets. Some bold individuals believe in seizing rare life opportunities through personal growth. For complex systems, those that are calculable rely on rational cognition for input-output authenticity, while more intricate ones, like human relationships, art, and cultural cognition, need emotional cognition to dominate and rationality to verify. For even more complex, long-span decisions, relying heavily on intuition is often essential.
This still doesn't cover everything about cognition. Especially in mixed-type problems, we often wonder why some inherently believe more deeply in beauty, love, or creativity, establishing deeper connections with humans, nature, and the universe. We often can't find answers purely within emotional and rational cognitive systems, making it challenging to provide definitive answers regarding our consciousness level.
However, when an individual's spiritual system awakens, the subsequent divinity or emptiness affects their aesthetic and moral judgment. This clarity often influences the rational cognitive process. From this dimension, the awakening of the spiritual system evidently interacts with cognition, but it's hard to articulate this interaction.
Considering the simple term "belief", these three systems can be understood to some extent. We might liken the depth of belief in something to a nine-tiered tower, describing the level of belief in an entity, person, or nature, and how these systems interact, casting a shadow in our minds.
Overall, we must first recognize the necessity of personal consciousness for cognition. Then, understand the different roles emotional and rational systems play in the cognition process, and potentially unify the contradictions between the two.
Indeed, knowing this, we can consciously choose spiritual and conscious cultivation. With emotional system training, psychological strength emerges, combined with the learning and practice of the rational system, uniting knowledge and action. This holistic cognitive growth firmly etches the world's essence in our internal mirror, making it incredibly real, strong, and tangible.