text: If, when asked to recite the alphabet, one says "a" followed by "z" and then stops, that person has not multi-tasked because the task has not been completed regardless of sequencing issues.  Multi-tasking only occurs when the given task is executed to completion.  Either your example is flawed or the assumption of multi-tasking is flawed.\n\nIn computing, multi-tasking requires a minimum of 3 processes: two processes that share the assigned work and one that supervises the functional tasks to insure that they are performed in sequence (and sequencing does matter) and monitors for completion of tasks A and B.  These processes can be assigned to three different CPUs.  While the human brain does have multiple parts, I have not heard of cognition occuring separately in the parts.\n\nIs it possible to think two distinctly different thoughts simultaneously?  My inclination is to say no, the subject is merely jumping from one thought to another and back rapidly - not truly multi-tasking.  Can you cite the basis and origin(s) of the multi-tasking diagnosis?  Would very much like to follow up on this interesting line of thought.