In neuroscience and cognitive science, we are often taught that what matters is what can be measured. But some forms of human expertise—like intuition, skill, or insight—have long eluded direct observation. We call this tacit knowledge: knowing how to act, without necessarily being able to say why.

What if our understanding of the brain is missing something fundamental? For decades, researchers have tried to model brain function using approaches based on order and stability. The prevailing idea has been that a well-functioning brain works to maintain order by reducing chaos. But recent studies suggest this view may be overly simplistic.