House of Eratosthenes

I just started reading “Think Better: An Innovator’s Guide to Productive Thinking” by Tim Hurson.

I just started Chapter 3 and have become amazed that I hadn’t thought about the difference between Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking…even though I’ve blogged about the subject in the past (see The Problem(s) with Linear Thinking, Critical Thinking Definitions, and my review of Jack’s Notebook).

In Chapter 3 of this book, the author does a great job explaining that these are completely different thinking processes. The author provides the following definitions:

• Creative Thinking – generative, nonjudgmental and expansive. When you are thinking creatively, you are generating lists of new ideas.
• Critical Thinking – analytical, judgmental and selective. When you are thinking critically, you are making choices.

I hadn’t thought about the differences between these two types of thinking…in fact, I’ve even used them as interchangeable terms for the same thing!

The author argues that using both thinking processes together creates a much more productive thinking process. An interesting analogy that he uses in the book is:

Think of the thinking process as a kayak with 2 paddles. One paddle represents creative thinking while the other represents critical thinking. If you were to only use one paddle (i.e., creative thinking), you’d end up going in circles. To make the kayak move forward, you’ve got to alternate between paddles.

So far this is an interesting book…I plan to review it in more detail later this month.

Great point. But oh my goodness, how I disagree with that kayak analogy! And I’m not just talking about how the author means to use the term blades instead of paddles (most kayaks rely on a single, double-bladed paddle).

More importantly, it’s a far better and more apt analogy to think of tools. Hammers and screwdrivers. One’s right for one situation, another’s right for another. There are jobs you can do where you have to work from sunup to sundown, relying every minute on one tool and not the other — and that’s quite alright. So the fellow who alternates from one tool to the next, and back again, based only on a feeling that that’s what he should be doing…that’s actually the guy doin’ it wrong.

Which one of these thinking-types is in danger of being permanently extinguished in our society? Both of them. I’ve complained, regularly, about “doofus dads” in kids’ movies, whacking themselves in the forehead, five minutes before closing credits, figuring out “Omigawd, I’ve been such an a-hole!” and this leads to the happy ending that otherwise could’ve never been had. It’s blisteringly offensive to me, as a man and as a Dad. It is, without a doubt, an assault on men. But most of all, it’s theft. It is the cloaking of rite-and-ritual as some kind of creativity, creativity that’s worth the expenditure of a little bit o’money. It’s just another re-telling of a story we’ve seen and heard many, many, many, many times before. And it’s propaganda that your precious little babums should start talking smack back at you, and generally start behaving like a disrespectful spoiled rotten brat. Yes, you’re supposed to be dipping into your checking account to pay for this.

And you’re goddamned right — I can make a conversation about that, out of a conversation about anything. It’s like Bill Maher and legalizing pot. But getting back to the subject at hand…

There are other tropes recycled regularly in our movies, products in which we’re supposed to see creativity, where in fact there is none. And the problem is more widespread than movies.

As for critical thinking…well…we still have the problem of global warming in which skepticism is being undefined as a useful word. It’s been re-defined as the exact opposite of what it classically is, flipped over like a pancake. You’re a “good skeptic” if you believe everything you hear, and if you question it you’re “not showing the proper skepticism.” This is a danger to critical thinking in our culture.

What to do about it? We can’t reverse this erosion as any kind of a group; each person has to work against it, as an individual. Otherwise, there goes the paddle.

Reminds me of this old rant of mine.
- philmon | 01/14/2009 @ 12:56
The Left has hijacked the term “critical thinking.” I got schooled a few years back when The Second Mrs. Pennington… a liberal left member of the Academy in excellent standing… informed me she was taking a class in “critical thinking.” “Wazzat?” I naively asked… followed with “you need to be TAUGHT to think critically? I kinda-sorta thought that came naturally.” And we were off to the races, and NOT in a good way.

OT, but… it never ceases to amaze me how a “good Catholic girl” and former conservative such as she could fall so far, so fast. “Fast” being relative, of course. “Far” ain’t relative… at ALL. 😉
- Buck | 01/14/2009 @ 13:59

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Critical Thinking vs. Creative ThinkingWednesday, January 14th, 2009

Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009