The purpose of thinking is to collect information and to make the best possible use of it. Because of the way the mind works to create fixed concept pattern, we cannot make the best use of new information unless we have some means for restructuring the old patterns and bringing them up to date.
Our traditional methods of thinking teach us how to refine such patterns and establish their validity. But we shall always make less than the best use of available information unless we know how to create new patterns and escape from the dominance of the old ones. Vertical thinking is concerned with proving or developing concept patterns. Lateral thinking is concerned with restructuring such patterns (insight) and provoking new ones (creativity). Lateral thinking and vertical thinking are complementary. Skill in both is necessary. Yet the emphasis in education has always been exclusively on vertical thinking.
Lateral thinking is quite distinct from vertical thinking, which is the traditional type of thinking. In vertical thinking, one moves forward by sequential steps each of which must be justified. The distinction between the two sorts of thinking is sharp. For instance, in lateral thinking, one uses information not for its own sake but for its effect. In lateral thinking, one may have to be wrong at some stage in order to achieve a correct solution, in vertical thinking (logic or mathematics) this would be impossible. In Lateral Thinking, one may seek irrelevant information, in Vertical Thinking one selects only what is relevant.
The mind is a pattern making system. The information system of the mind acts to create patterns and to regulate them. The effectiveness of mind in its one-way communication with the environment arises from its ability to create patterns, store them and recognize them. The exce11ence of the human brain as an information processing system lies in its ability to make sense of the outside world. Thus the brain does by allowing the incoming information to organize itself into channels or tracks (patterns). The brain functions as a pattern making system that allows incoming information to form it into patterns that can be stored and used. Once these channels (tracks/ patterns) have been set up, one can find one's way around because as soon as one spots something one can follow the channel and so have access to all one's knowledge about that thing.
Mathematics is a prime example for describing the pattern making function of the brain. Take the relation:- A:B is as C:D is as ? The answer is obviously E: F. The brain has drawn the principle behind the array of letters. The pattern has been established in the brain which then was easily used to give the answer.
In an arithmetic progression 1,3,5,7,9,11, the relation between the numbers is a common difference - d, in this case 2. The 'n' th number in an arithmetic progression is given by (a+(n+l)d) where 'a' is the first number. Mathematics is governed by set principles, which can be learnt, and used.
Have you done it?????
Also divide this figure into four equal shaped parts.
Are u getting a solution for the above two puzzles .......
If you have got it then you are a person who is creative and your mind is tuned for lateral thinking. If not dont worry you can train your brain for some lateral thinking
Try to do the following exercise and train your brain
man
1. ------------
board
stand
2. ------------
i
3. /r/e/a/d/i/n/ g/
4. r
road
a
d
5. cycle
cycle
cycle
0
6. ------------
M.D.
Ph.D.
knee
7. ------------
light
ground
8. ------------ ---
feet feet feet feet feet feet
9. he's X himself
10. ecnalg
11. death ..... life
12. THINK
So do you see yourself making out some meaning out of the above few puzzles......
Im sure you got yourself tuned to this thought process
OK wait for the solutions for a week (ends By 15th Feb 08, 5.00 PM)
Send in your solutions to my Mail ID (cdl.karun28@gmail.com) or on the comments.
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