Donald Broadbent

Personal note: The pursuit of knowledge filters out the noise of doubt.

Humor in science: 'If attention were unlimited, we'd all be geniuses—or mad.'

Key from 'Perception and Communication': Irrelevant stimuli are attenuated, not ignored.

On vigilance: Prolonged watch-keeping leads to a decay in detection rate.

Reflections on career: Cognitive models evolve like living organisms.

The bottleneck metaphor captures the essence of limited processing.

In letters, I argued for interdisciplinary approaches to mind sciences.

Stress alters attentional focus, often to our detriment.

A profound observation: Consciousness arises from selected information streams.

Witty comeback in debate: 'Your model leaks information like a sieve.'

On meaning: Attention gives life its direction and purpose.

From interviews: 'The mind is a selector, not a sponge.'

Key passage: Serial processing dominates parallel in central cognition.

In old age, I pondered: What filters do we apply to memories?

Professional note: Empirical data must guide theoretical filters.

Aphorism: Attention paid is attention gained.

Speech excerpt: Let's filter out pseudoscience from true inquiry.

On politics of science: Funding should prioritize attentional research.

Humor: 'My filter theory? It's all about what you let in—and what you block.'

Last reflections before passing: The mind's greatest filter is curiosity.