Practical Thinking

1. Understanding is the process of changing unfamiliar situations into familiar ones

Understanding is thinking.

Adapting to the unknown. Understanding is a powerful process that allows humans to multiply their knowledge by converting new situations into familiar ones. This enables us to know what to do about them without having to develop new responses through first-hand learning or rely on second-hand learning. The process involves changing an unfamiliar situation into a familiar one through thinking, which is essentially moving from one idea to another until the unfamiliar situation resembles or is derived from familiar situations.

Three basic know-all processes:

• Instinct: Fixed, pre-wired reactions to specific situations
• Learning: Developing responses to new situations through trial and error or second-hand information
• Understanding: Converting unfamiliar situations into familiar ones through thinking

Understanding has several advantages, including:

• Allowing us to multiply learning by using old responses in new situations
• Enabling us to explain new situations to others so they can choose their own responses
• Providing a basis for reaction and prediction in various scenarios

2. The mind uses five levels of understanding to explain unknown phenomena

It is impossible to say nothing at all if one says something.

Levels of explanation. The human mind employs five distinct levels of understanding when attempting to explain unfamiliar phenomena. These levels range from simple descriptions to full details, each serving a specific purpose in the process of comprehension.

The five levels of understanding are:

1. Simple description: Basic statement of what happened
2. Porridge words: Use of vague, meaningless words to indicate a reason
3. Give it a name: Identifying and naming the process involved
4. The way it works: Describing the cause-and-effect relationship
5. Full details: Providing comprehensive explanations or drawings

Each level of understanding has its own advantages and limitations. For example, simple descriptions commit the viewer to a definite point of view, while porridge words allow for vague questions and explanations when specific information is lacking. Naming the process provides a sense of control, and describing how it works offers a more in-depth understanding. Full details provide the most comprehensive explanation but may not always be necessary or practical.

3. Four ways to be right: emotional, logical, unique, and recognition rightness

Being right is the feeling of being right because this is what one acts upon.

Types of rightness. The human mind uses four distinct ways to determine if its thinking is "right" enough for action or for imposing on others. These four ways of being right are emotional rightness, logical rightness, unique rightness, and recognition rightness.

The four ways to be right:

1. Emotional rightness (currant cake): When a line of thought triggers emotions we are happy to have about something
2. Logical rightness (jig-saw puzzle): When ideas fit together properly in a logical sequence
3. Unique rightness (village Venus): When an explanation is the only one that fits the available facts
4. Recognition rightness (measles): When a situation is recognized based on familiar patterns or features

Each type of rightness has its own strengths and limitations. Emotional rightness can be powerful but may lead to short-term thinking. Logical rightness is useful for building complex systems but can lead to arrogance. Unique rightness can provide confidence but may prevent the consideration of alternative explanations. Recognition rightness is practical but can lead to misdiagnoses if not all features are considered.

4. The YES/NO system is our most important thinking tool, but it has limitations

The arrogance of righteousness which is probably the most dangerous fault of human thinking arises directly from the YES/NO system.

Powerful but flawed. The YES/NO system is our most crucial thinking tool, providing a powerful rejection and selection mechanism. However, it also has significant limitations that can hinder effective thinking and decision-making.

Limitations of the YES/NO system:

• Adequate is good enough: Once an adequate solution is found, there's no push to find better ones
• Permanent labels: Ideas rejected by NO may be permanently labeled as impossible, even when circumstances change
• Sharp polarization: Creates a very sharp divide between what is rejected and accepted, leaving little room for nuance
• Arrogance of righteousness: Leads to a belief in absolute rightness and the need to impose ideas on others

The YES/NO system's limitations can be particularly problematic in complex situations where nuanced thinking is required. To overcome these limitations, it's essential to develop complementary thinking tools and approaches, such as lateral thinking and the use of intermediate impossibles, which allow for more flexible and creative problem-solving.

5. Creativity involves escaping old ideas and generating new ones

This unreasonable dissatisfaction is the basis of the creative attitude.

Breaking free from conventions. Creativity is the process of changing ideas or producing additional new ones. It involves two main aspects: escaping from old ideas and generating new ones. This process is crucial for innovation and problem-solving, as it allows us to break free from established patterns of thinking and explore new possibilities.

Key aspects of creativity:

• Dissatisfaction with current ideas, even when they seem adequate
• Willingness to make mistakes and use them as stepping stones to new ideas
• Balance between knowledge and openness to new perspectives
• Use of techniques and methods to increase chances of creativity

Creativity can be hindered by:

• Satisfaction with adequate solutions
• Too much or too little knowledge in a specific field
• Fear of being wrong or making mistakes
• Lack of time or appropriate techniques for idea generation

To foster creativity, it's important to cultivate an attitude of constructive dissatisfaction, embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, and develop techniques for generating and exploring new ideas. This approach can lead to innovative solutions and breakthroughs in various fields.

6. Imagination increases thinking fluency but doesn't guarantee correctness

Imagination increases the fluency of the basic thinking processes but does not by itself make them more correct or more useful.

Enhanced idea flow. Imagination plays a crucial role in thinking by increasing the fluency of basic thinking processes. It allows for a greater range of ideas and alternatives to be considered. However, it's important to note that imagination alone does not guarantee the correctness or usefulness of the ideas generated.

Four aspects of imagination:

1. Picture vividness: Ability to imagine scenes or objects with great detail
2. Number of alternatives: Capacity to generate multiple options or ideas
3. Different ways of looking at something: Ability to consider various perspectives
4. Creative imagination: Combining ideas to create new experiences

Benefits of imagination in thinking:

• Reduces reliance on unique rightness by considering alternative explanations
• Enhances the carry-on and connect-up processes of thinking
• Provides a wider range of starting points and destinations for idea connections
• Serves as an ingredient for creativity, though not sufficient on its own

While imagination is valuable for generating ideas and exploring possibilities, it must be combined with critical thinking, knowledge, and evaluation to produce truly useful and correct ideas. The key is to harness the power of imagination while maintaining a balance with practical considerations and logical assessment.

7. Attention and clues play a crucial role in shaping our understanding

If you cannot imagine any alternative explanations then it is easy to be convinced that the only one you have is absolutely right.

Selective focus shapes perception. The choice of attention area is fundamental to thinking, as it determines the action or thinking that follows. We react only to a selected part of the world around us, and this selection process significantly influences our understanding and interpretation of situations.

Key aspects of attention and clues:

• Carving out areas of attention in space, time, and depth
• Different attention areas can lead to different interpretations of seemingly similar situations
• Clues can suggest ideas, confirm them, or exclude alternative explanations
• The interplay between clues and ideas forms a continuous shuttle in the thinking process

Types of clues:

1. Obvious to everyone
2. Features that become clues when significance is attached
3. Clues that require effort to uncover

The danger in this process lies in the tendency to notice only those clues that fit with preconceived ideas, potentially leading to confirmation bias. To mitigate this risk, it's important to actively seek out diverse clues and consider alternative explanations, even when an initial idea seems satisfactory.

8. Think-2: A new approach to resolving disagreements by mapping starting points

No matter how excellent the thinking itself may be, if the starting place is different the conclusion will be different.

Mapping thought landscapes. Think-2 is a novel approach to resolving disagreements by focusing on the starting points of different perspectives rather than engaging in traditional argument. This method recognizes that many disagreements stem from different starting places rather than flaws in the thinking process itself.

Key aspects of Think-2:

• Carefully mapping out the landscape of each person's starting point
• Identifying areas of overlap and distance between perspectives
• Attempting to create new areas that include otherwise separate viewpoints
• Focusing on understanding where people are coming from rather than trying to convince them of a particular position

Benefits of the Think-2 approach:

• Reveals hidden factors that may dominate arguments without being explicitly mentioned
• Allows for a more comprehensive understanding of different perspectives
• Facilitates more productive discussions by addressing underlying differences
• Helps identify common ground and potential areas for compromise

By employing Think-2, individuals and groups can move beyond surface-level disagreements and engage in more meaningful dialogue. This approach can be particularly valuable in complex situations involving multiple stakeholders or conflicting viewpoints, such as labor disputes, family conflicts, or policy debates.

Last updated: May 1, 2025