scrape_r_rational/data/cache/4aa33j.md

[Q] Best methods for a normal person/character to rationally optimize their mental capacity and cognition?

Post:

[removed]

Comments:

• u/ulyssessword:

  Try asking tomorrow, in the Monday General Rationality thread.  
  
  The mods want to keep the main part of this sub focused explicitly on *fiction*, and I support them in their decision.
  

• u/Nepene:

  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-training-doesn-t-make-you-smarter/
  
  You can't train your brain to be smarter with brain games. Your speed of thinking and clarity are mostly limited by your genetics.
  
  You can do a little by living healthier- eat well, exercise, sleep decent hours and that will improve your mind a bit, but your intelligence is mostly fixed.
  
  Some drugs can do a bit. You can improve your attention span with various cocaine like drugs, painkillers can let you work while in pain. If you have a notable deficiency in these areas that can help. If you're tired caffeine can help you be less limited. Ethanol can fix some social intellect issues.
  
  If you spend a huge amount of time learning various memory tricks you can learn to fix short term memories in your long term memory faster, although it's a lot of effort.
  
  Personally I use a notepad to record stuff, so I don't really need to remember much more. I have a smart phone which remembers a lot of my calendar details, which I keep on silent most of the time to avoid distractions. 
  
  There are lots of ways to improve specific skills, which is much more productive. If you want a protagonist to be improving themselves I'd recommend more having them be smart in their choice of what to learn and research how to best learn that skill.
  

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