Rebecca Costa’s The Watchman’s Rattle explores how civilizations collapse when complexity outpaces our ability to solve problems. Blending science, history, and psychology, she argues that as global crises become more complex, society risks paralysis unless we evolve our cognitive strategies. Costa introduces the idea of “cognitive threshold,” suggesting we must adopt new ways of thinking—such as intuition and pattern recognition—to survive modern challenges. The book links ancient failures with contemporary threats like climate change and global instability. It’s a call to embrace adaptive thinking before our most pressing problems become unsolvable.
About Rebecca Costa
Rebecca Costa is an American sociobiologist, futurist, and author known for her interdisciplinary approach to global issues. In The Watchman’s Rattle, she explores how civilizations fail when complexity overwhelms human decision-making capacity. With a background in technology and science, Costa blends evolutionary biology with behavioral economics to identify solutions for modern crises. Her work emphasizes the need for new cognitive strategies—like intuition and pattern recognition—to address societal breakdowns. Costa is a frequent speaker and commentator on systems thinking, risk, and innovation. Her writing aims to awaken a deeper awareness of how we confront increasingly complex global challenges.
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