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Abstraction

Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal ("real" or "concrete") concepts, first principles, or other methods. "An abstraction" is the product of this process—a concept that acts as a super-categorical noun for all subordinate concepts, and connects any related concepts as a group, field, or category.[1] Abstractions may be formed by reducing the information content of a concept or an observable phenomenon, typically to retain only information which is relevant for a particular purpose. For example, abstracting a leather soccer ball to the more general idea of a ball retains only the information on general ball attributes and behavior, eliminating the other characteristics of that particular ball.[1] Origins[edit] Thinking in abstractions is considered[by whom?] Abstraction involves induction of ideas or the synthesis of particular facts into one general theory about something. Thought process[edit] Cat on Mat (picture 1) Related:  The problems with philosophy

Creativity Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed, such as an idea, a scientific theory, an invention, a literary work, a painting, a musical composition, a joke, etc. Scholarly interest in creativity involves many definitions and concepts pertaining to a number of disciplines: psychology, cognitive science, education, philosophy (particularly philosophy of science), technology, theology, sociology, linguistics, business studies, songwriting, and economics, covering the relations between creativity and general intelligence, mental and neurological processes, personality type and creative ability, creativity and mental health; the potential for fostering creativity through education and training, especially as augmented by technology; and the application of creative resources to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Definition[edit] Aspects[edit] Etymology[edit] History of the concept[edit] Ancient views[edit] The Enlightenment and after[edit] J. J.

Convergent and divergent production Convergent and divergent production are the two types of human response to a set problem that were identified by J.P. Guilford (1967). Guilford observed that most individuals display a preference for either convergent or divergent thinking. Others observe that most people prefer a convergent closure.[citation needed] As opposed to TRIZ or lateral thinking divergent thinking is not about tools for creativity or thinking, but a way of categorizing what can be observed. Divergent thinking[edit] According to J.P. There is a movement in education that maintains divergent thinking might create more resourceful students. Divergent production is the creative generation of multiple answers to a set problem. Critic of the analytic/dialectic approach[edit] While the observations made in psychology can be used to analyze the thinking of humans, such categories may also lead to oversimplifications and dialectic thinking. References[edit] Guilford, J. (1967). See also[edit]

First principle Basic proposition or assumption In philosophy and science, a first principle is a basic proposition or assumption that cannot be deduced from any other proposition or assumption. First principles in philosophy are from first cause[1] attitudes and taught by Aristotelians, and nuanced versions of first principles are referred to as postulates by Kantians.[2] In mathematics and formal logic, first principles are referred to as axioms or postulates. In physics and other sciences, theoretical work is said to be from first principles, or ab initio, if it starts directly at the level of established science and does not make assumptions such as empirical model and parameter fitting. In formal logic[edit] In a formal logical system, that is, a set of propositions that are consistent with one another, it is possible that some of the statements can be deduced from other statements. A first principle is an axiom that cannot be deduced from any other within that system. Philosophy[edit] See also[edit]

Divergent thinking Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It is often used in conjunction with its cognitive opposite, convergent thinking, which follows a particular set of logical steps to arrive at one solution, which in some cases is a ‘correct’ solution. By contrast, divergent thinking typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. Many possible solutions are explored in a short amount of time, and unexpected connections are drawn. After the process of divergent thinking has been completed, ideas and information are organized and structured using convergent thinking. Traits associated with divergent thinking[edit] Psychologists have found that a high IQ (like Albert Einstein) alone does not guarantee creativity. Promoting divergent thinking[edit] Playfulness and divergent thinking[edit] Effects of sleep deprivation on divergent thinking[edit] 1.

Alcohol Benefits the Creative Process Creative thought is something we often aspire to. Whether it’s in terms of artistic products, scientific discoveries, or business innovations, creative accomplishments drive advancement in much of what we do. But what sorts of things enhance creativity ? A popular belief is that altered cognitive processing, whether from sleep , insanity, or alcohol use, sparks creativity among artists, composers, writers, and problem-solvers. Why might being intoxicated lead to improved creativity? Think about the flip side of the coin. When people with lots of baseball knowledge, for example, are asked to come up with a word that forms a compound word with “plate,” “broken,” and “shot,” they are pretty bad at this task. So, could being intoxicated really help people to think more creatively? They recruited people (ages 21-30) who drank socially, via Craigslist, to come into their lab and, well, they got some of them drunk. For more on the link between brain power and performance, check out my book .

Formal system Mathematical model for deduction or proof systems In 1921, David Hilbert proposed to use formal systems as the foundation of knowledge in mathematics.[2] The term formalism is sometimes a rough synonym for formal system, but it also refers to a given style of notation, for example, Paul Dirac's bra–ket notation. A formal system has the following:[3][4][5] A formal system is said to be recursive (i.e. effective) or recursively enumerable if the set of axioms and the set of inference rules are decidable sets or semidecidable sets, respectively. A formal language is a language that is defined by a formal system. A deductive system, also called a deductive apparatus,[8] consists of the axioms (or axiom schemata) and rules of inference that can be used to derive theorems of the system.[9] The logical consequence (or entailment) of the system by its logical foundation is what distinguishes a formal system from others which may have some basis in an abstract model. A logical system is:

Five glorious presentations on visual thinking Do you think in words or pictures, or both? Visual thinking engages the part of the brain that handles visual processing, and is said to be both "emotional and creative" so you can "organise information in an intuitive and simultaneous way". A picture really might be worth a thousand words, while being easier to understand and recall. Therefore it is worth exploring how visual thinking can help you communicate ideas to colleagues and clients. I have collated a few presentations to help you do exactly that. These will help you to understand the benefits of visual thinking, and there - obviously - lots of useful visualisations to aid you. Visual Thinking By Chris Finlay. An Introduction to Visual Thinking By Ryan Coleman. The Value of Visual Thinking in Social Business By David Armano. The ten and a half commandments of visual thinking Via whatidiscover. Visual and Creative Thinking: What We Learned From Peter Pan and Willy Wonka By Kelsey Ruger.

Stupidity Rules for Creative Professionals I'm having trouble being stupid. Productively stupid, that is. I have infinite reserves of unproductive stupidity—ignoring my car's oil light, losing my wallet, hiring the wrong person. That's the variety of a presidential candidate forgetting during a national debate which federal agencies he wants to eliminate ("Oops"). Productive stupidity is something else. But I'm getting ahead of myself with that know-it-all assertion. A lot of popular advice being doled out about creative productivity has its catchy truisms: Get things done. Creative activists' advice stems in part from a deep-rooted backlash to previous creativity theorists. In part. "If you want to help people cultivate their creativity, don't give them more wonder." So here's where I question and take exception. I don't know. Do you see how much trouble I have being productively stupid? From what? Microbiologist Martin A. "Productive stupidity means being ignorant by choice. So how did he pull it off?

Axiom Statement that is taken to be true The precise definition varies across fields of study. In classic philosophy, an axiom is a statement that is so evident or well-established, that it is accepted without controversy or question.[3] In modern logic, an axiom is a premise or starting point for reasoning.[4] In mathematics, an axiom may be a "logical axiom" or a "non-logical axiom". Logical axioms are taken to be true within the system of logic they define and are often shown in symbolic form (e.g., (A and B) implies A), while non-logical axioms (e.g., a + b = b + a) are substantive assertions about the elements of the domain of a specific mathematical theory, such as arithmetic. Non-logical axioms may also be called "postulates" or "assumptions". Any axiom is a statement that serves as a starting point from which other statements are logically derived. Etymology[edit] Ancient geometers maintained some distinction between axioms and postulates. Historical development[edit] Early Greeks[edit] in

A Creative Buzz - Ideas Market By Christopher Shea People who like to write in cafes are onto something, it seems: A moderate level of noise—the equivalent of the background buzz of conversation — prompts more-creative thought, according to a study. Across several experiments involving more than 300 people, participants worked on a series of exercises demanding mental flexibility, including word-association games and practical problems. They brainstormed about how a mattress company might improve its product, for example, and devised as many uses as possible for a brick. People in the moderate-noise groups scored higher on the objective word-association test, and their answers to the other problems were rated, subjectively by peers, as more creative. A final experiment involved having students answer questions about consumer products at a computer station located in a public space. Source: “Is Noise Always Bad?

Myths of Right-Brained Creativity "I'm not creative. I'm very left-brained." "My teachers killed my creativity ." "I'm just not into being all different and original and weird." As a creativity consultant, I often hear such comments. {*style:<b>MYTH #1: CREATIVITY = RIGHT HEMISPHERE </b>*}A recent study showed that a function of visual thinking is not solely a function of the right hemisphere. The puzzle required that architecture students visualize certain existing geometric shapes and if when assembled formed either a square or a rectangle. I think this assumption stems in part from an over-simplification of especially Roger Sperry's work in the 1960s on the split-brain hypothesis. We now know that creativity as well as—on the flip side—rational decisions are more whole-brained activities than some of us would like to imagine. {*style:<b>MYTH #2: LOGICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING = LEFT HEMISPHERE </b>*}The reverse is also true. Emotions are not, though, a strictly right-hemispheric function. {*style:<b>YOUR TURN Jeffrey

Non-classical logic Non-classical logics (and sometimes alternative logics) are formal systems that differ in a significant way from standard logical systems such as propositional and predicate logic. There are several ways in which this is commonly the case, including by way of extensions, deviations, and variations. The aim of these departures is to make it possible to construct different models of logical consequence and logical truth.[1] Philosophical logic is understood to encompass and focus on non-classical logics, although the term has other meanings as well.[2] In addition, some parts of theoretical computer science can be thought of as using non-classical reasoning, although this varies according to the subject area. Examples of non-classical logics[edit] There are many kinds of non-classical logic, which include: Classification of non-classical logics according to specific authors[edit] In an extension, new and different logical constants are added, for instance the " See also[edit] References[edit]

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