Month: May 2023

Edward de Bono described vertical thinking as the traditional way of thinking in which we move forward by a series of sequential and verified steps and lateral thinking as a way of thinking in which one generates new ideas and breaks out of the established patterns in one’s mind. Throughout this reading, I could see the clear difference between the two ways of thinking, and while I could think of examples for vertical thinking (because it was described as the traditional way), I could not think of an example of lateral thinking. Bono’s point could have been made stronger and clearer if he had employed real world examples. Nevertheless, I found the reading enjoyable. 

Bono referred to the patterns our mind makes as useful with certain limitations, and while I can understand that it may be limiting to not deviate from a certain routine your mind makes, one could argue that some limitations are more good than bad. In this case, the pattern making mechanism of our mind saves us time and energy. Like a daily routine, this attribute of the brain keeps us sane in that it stops us from incessantly questioning everything in our existence. Perhaps this is why Bono advises the use of both ways of thinking, because if that was not the case, I imagine lateral thinking would do more harm than good.

visit to Markus Popp

I appreciated Markus’s mentioning of the importance of going beyond one’s artistic field (e.g. Music) and instead focusing on a message, theme, “passion,” etc. I hadn’t thought from this perspective and it made sense to me to accomodate for multiple skills and interests while maintaining some sort of artistic identity.

I just wish he had talked more about his own practice. Half of the presentation sounded very coach-y and I personally didn’t agree with his absolute claims about “having a clear goal that you will not compromise.” I don’t think this fixed ideas are realistic, especially for us who are just in the beginning of our careers.

The premise of the book “Lateral Thinking” is fascinating and captivating, both for the artist and the scientist.

Bono states that most of education has so far been focused on vertical thinking (also referred to as logical thinking), where you reach a conclusion on the basis of a series of logical steps, each of which can be well justified. In addition to vertical thinking, the author advocates for development of lateral thinking. Lateral thinking is the process that allows us to take ideas and concepts in our head, and restructure their connections in our brain. This restructuring creates new information, new ideas and even strengthens our insight into previously understood ideas. This restructuring and building new connections is often how some people might describe creativity.

While readily understood in the context of art, this theme of rethinking and changing how we connect ideas in our brain is seen in new insights in the sciences as well. As Bono says, lateral thinking lets us dig holes in different places, while vertical thinking helps us dig deeper in one place. A restructuring of ideas lends itself to uncovering new discoveries, that can then be dug deeply into using the logical approach.

Shahram Chaudhry

In class, we discussed games that involved making origami. With that fresh in my head, when I got to jotting alternative ideas for my “underwater” project, making an underwater scene using origami was on the top of my list. Since I had previously used the topic metaphorically, this time I wanted to use the literal meaning of underwater by depicting an underwater scene. 

I found a picture online that went well with my idea and printed it – trying to figure out the correct color settings for the printer was quite a challenge though. Then I got to making origami fish and of course, I could not miss including a boat – I mean that’s the first origami that we were taught as children. I have to accept that when I tried to make a boat consciously, I got stuck and couldn’t figure out how to make it. But by solely relying on muscle memory I was able to make an origami boat. 

Then it came to deciding the colors of fishes and I wanted to choose meaningful colors. I used blue to represent calmness and tranquility, orange to represent vibrant and enthusiasm, yellow to represent joy and optimism, green to represent growth, harmony and balance and finally red to represent passion, strength and vitality. I kept the boat white to symbolize purity and simplicity. I think these are all the traits of a perfectly balanced system (in this case my underwater ecosystem) but in broader terms the general societal structure and system.

The author highlights the close relationship between lateral thinking, insight, creativity, and humor, emphasizing that they all stem from the same foundation. While insight, creativity, and humor are often seen as elusive and unpredictable, lateral thinking is portrayed as a deliberate and systematic process, akin to logical thinking but distinct in its approach. The author further explores the role of culture and education in shaping and improving ideas, with conflict and new information serving as catalysts for change. They argue that while conflict can lead to the suppression of opposing ideas, insight is a more effective method for restructuring patterns of information, particularly in situations where objective evaluation is challenging. The importance of lateral thinking as a tool for generating new ideas and breaking free from old concepts is emphasized, with the recognition that creativity is a valuable asset in driving progress across various domains.

In my view, I agree with the author’s assertion that lateral thinking is a practical and deliberate process that can be developed and honed. It offers a distinct approach to problem-solving and idea generation, enabling individuals to break free from the confines of traditional thinking patterns. The author’s emphasis on the need for tangible techniques and practical application of lateral thinking aligns with my belief that simply hoping for insight or creativity is insufficient. By embracing lateral thinking as a habit of mind and adopting specific techniques, individuals can enhance their ability to think innovatively and foster meaningful change.

Shahram Chaudhry

In the introduction, Bono first distinguishes between creativity and lateral thinking by explaining that creativity is the description of a result while lateral thinking is a description of the process. When we admire someone’s creative result such as a painting, we are appreciating the outcome of someone’s creative process. On the other hand, lateral thinking refers to a cognitive process that encourages unconventional and non-linear thinking. While creativity is often attributed to the result, lateral thinking focuses more on the process of thinking itself.Lateral thinking is concerned with thinking outside the box and looking in a different way at things that have always been looked at the same way. The main distinction between lateral and vertical thinking is that because vertical thinking is sequential, there’s no room for mistakes while in lateral thinking one could go wrong at one or more stages and still achieve a fruitful outcome. 

The writer uses the analogy of digging a hole to explain the concept of lateral and vertical thinking and I don’t think it can be explained in any better way. He compares lateral thinking to digging different holes and vertical thinking to digging the same hole deeper. Now both actions can be equally important depending on circumstances and some situations might require both of them together. So lateral thinking and vertical thinking go well together and are complementary. In conclusion, while lateral thinking encourages individuals to adopt a mindset that embraces ambiguity, welcomes new possibilities, and explores diverse perspectives, vertical thinking helps in achieving results in a particular direction, and both are essential to success.

I found the concept of using perfumes as a creative medium Interesting. It was fascinating to explore how scents can evoke emotions, memories, and associations, adding depth to artistic expression. I’ve had some serious déjà vu triggered by a whiff of a certain smell, so this perfume power move got me hooked. The relationship between music and perfumes was also mentioned, highlighting how certain scents can be linked to specific sounds or musical compositions, further enhancing the creative experience.

He threw in this idea that creativity doesn’t always need to start with an endpoint in mind. He wanted us to tap into our inner kid, that never-ending curiosity and wild inspiration that leads us down unexpected and thrilling creative paths.

I disagree with his point of keeping yourself open to other possibilities because of the competition. I believe that this line of thinking leads to insufficient time and effort spent honing your craft which would lead to worse results compared to if you had committed yourself fully in the beginning.

However, I appreciated hearing his strong views on art and expression. His unique descriptions of his albums and essays made me sense his passion. I was especially intrigued with his ongoing project which is perfume. I had never considered incorporating smell into a project, so seeing Markus thoroughly investigate and combine his personal passions into his professional work was interesting to me. 

I wanted to see the technical side of music creation,  however, he seemed to be more focused on the emotional/psychological side of creation in general which I also appreciated. Overall the visit was very thought-provoking and caused me to think about my big-picture motivator

In my second assignment, I focused on time travel. After exploring superpowers in my first assignment, I found the idea of time travel fascinating and captivating today. I created a short video using Ai generated images incorporating the way I imagine the past and the future.

Here is a link to the video:https://youtu.be/5jbNfSGQ7Xg

Chapter 1 of “Lateral Thinking” by Edward de Bono lays the groundwork for the book’s exploration of a different approach to problem-solving. De Bono introduces the concept of lateral thinking as a departure from traditional linear thinking, emphasizing the need for flexibility and creativity. He highlights the limitations of vertical thinking and encourages readers to challenge assumptions and explore alternative perspectives. The chapter serves as an invitation to embrace a more open and unconventional mindset, setting the stage for the subsequent exploration of practical techniques to enhance lateral thinking abilities. Overall, it provides a thought-provoking introduction to the concept and importance of lateral thinking in problem-solving and innovation.