Thinking -- You Can Learn To Do Better What You Think You Already Do Well
Abstract
Thinking is a skill that can be learned and should be learned. The traditional education system in the United States does not deliberately teach people how to think. Rather, it focuses on providing knowledge and measuring fixed ideas, not on providing students with an understanding of logic (vertical thinking) or creativity (lateral thinking). This paper explores these stages of thinking as well as the nature of thought and the various thinking styles exhibited by most people. The thrust of the paper is to show that we need to improve our thinking ability and that thinking is a skill we need to exercise to better cope with the complex problems we face in a rapidly changing world. The author hopes that by the end of this paper, readers will accept the idea that thinking is a skill that they can learn and develop on their own, and that they can teach to others. The paper is divided into the following sections: (1) An Overview on Thinking, (2) The Nature of Thought, (3) The Negative Impact of Western Education On Our Ability To Think, (4) Logical/Vertical Thinking and Creative/Lateral Thinking -- The Need For Skills In Both, (5) Styles of Thinking and Their Importance, and (6) Concluding Thoughts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA262243
Entities
People
- Richard P. Hobbs Jr.
Organizations
- Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy