Edward de Bono's Thinking Course Lecture 1 - Thinking is a Skill - Part 1 of 3.flv

In today's discussion, we are diving deep into the concept of thinking itself. We will explore the intriguing question: Is thinking a skill? Can we improve our thinking ability through practice and attention, or is it merely a natural instinct, much like walking, breathing, or talking? Moreover, you might wonder why we should even bother improving our thinking. After all, it can be easy to fall into routines or habits and simply drift along doing what seems obvious.

However, there are times when being able to think effectively can lead to significant advantages. Permit me to share a fascinating story to illustrate this point.

The Tale of the Gambler

Imagine a young man in the United States who approaches his bank manager with a remarkable proposition: he wants to open an account to deposit a thousand dollars each week. Naturally, the bank manager is thrilled. The young man follows through, and each week, he comes in to make his deposit. After a few weeks, he is invited into the manager's office, where an unexpected guest awaits—an agent from the FBI.

The agents interrogate the young man, suspicious of his wealth. "Where is your money coming from?" they demand. "You don't work; you spend your time drinking and gambling! We suspect you're involved in drug dealing." But he confidently replies, "No, I earn my money through gambling." When pressed about the stability of income from such an uncertain activity, he counters, "I only bet on certainties." The agents laugh at his response, but he insists, "I don’t find them; I make them."

To escape interrogation, he cleverly proposes a bet to the manager: "$1,000 that by this time next week, your nose will be made of wood." After some hesitation, the manager accepts the bet. During the next meeting, the young man shows up with a friend and proclaims, "I never believe anyone blindly." He then twists the manager's nose! His friend collapses in shock, revealing that he had made a $2,000 bet that he would enter then office and grab the manager's nose. Through quick and creative thinking, our young gambler not only evades suspicion but also earns a thousand dollars.

Mathematical Thinking: A Simple Example

This is just one instance where smart thinking proves invaluable. Now, let’s consider another area where thinking can simplify a solution. Suppose I asked you to add up the numbers from 1 to 10. It’s a straightforward task, and within moments, someone would offer the answer: 55.

Now, flash back 200 years to a classroom in Germany. A teacher assigns the same problem to his students. After only 10 seconds, a little boy raises his hand with confidence: "The answer is 505." The teacher, baffled, accuses him of cheating. But the boy clarifies, "I see it clearly. One and a hundred equal two, two and 99 equal 101, and so on," explaining that it can be visualized as a large triangle. Thus, he combined his creative thinking with basic math to arrive at the solution.

The Thought Experiment

Now let’s explore a fascinating concept known as a thought experiment, which was famously used by Einstein. He would often ask himself questions like, "What if I look at this situation differently? What would happen?" Let’s apply this concept to Galileo’s work.

Galileo is credited with demonstrating that a heavy object and a light object fall at the same rate if air resistance is negligible. Although a Dutchman had presented the idea first, Galile was recognized for his superior public relations! To visualize his concept, let’s consider an imaginary thought experiment.

Imagine we have a heavy object that is four times heavier than a light one. We can manipulate their shape and substance while maintaining their mass. If we bind them with something as trivial as chewing gum and let them drop, we question whether their joining changes anything. Science works on the principle of surprise. In essence: If they're equal, joining them would likely make no difference.

Conclusion

The crux of this discussion lies in understanding that thinking allows us to connect what we already know with what we don’t. It invites curiosity and innovation while challenging concepts we may take for granted. Thus, thinking is not just a natural instinct; it is a skill that can be honed and curated to better navigate our world.

As we venture further, we will unlock even more tools and techniques to refine our thinking processes. Join me in our next session, where we will explore this topic further!