The Superpower of Seeing the Invisible: How Cognitive Science Transforms Data Into Stories
Introduction: The Art of Visual Superpowers Imagine holding a pencil and sketching a bird in flight. With a few lines, you convey not just its shape, but the physics of how it soars. This act - transforming abstract ideas into visual narratives - is a uniquely human "superpower." At MIT's Quest for Intelligence Colloquium, Stanford psychologist Prof. Judy Fan revealed how cognitive tools like drawing and data visualization amplify our ability to see the invisible. Her insights aren't just academic - they're a roadmap for anyone who turns data into decisions. --- Part 1: What Are Cognitive Tools? Cognitive tools are technologies that expand how we think. Think of the number line: a simple invention that reshaped mathematics. Or Galileo's telescope, which turned celestial mysteries into observable facts. As Prof. Fan explains: "These tools let us reengineer the physical world by reformulating our understanding into actionable abstractions." Why it matt...