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How did Shakespeare know so much about the mind? Started 2025 trying to read a sonnet/scene every day and I'm consistently amazed at how he anticipated so many findings from cognitive science on memory, learning and behaviour. Made some notes🧵⬇️

I'd say the two most perceptive ideas Shakespeare had on this were 1. the constructive and unreliable nature of memory ("remembrance of things past." etc.)

and 2. the idea of cognitive dissonance specifically the notion of paradox and irresolution. This is evident EVERYWHERE in the language (Fair is foul, and foul is fair etc.)

I agree with Bloom that Shakespeare's rendering of human personality has never been bettered. And by the way, for that reason alone he should be studied in school. But he was incredibly perceptive about how the brain learns, remembers, understands and even how it deceives itself.