an online book by David Gurteen
In common usage and in philosophy, ideas are the results of thought. Also in philosophy, ideas can also be mental representational images of some object. Many philosophers have considered ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being. The capacity to create and understand the meaning of ideas is considered to be an essential and defining feature of human beings.
An idea arises in a reflexive, spontaneous manner, even without thinking or serious reflection, for example, when we talk about the idea of a person or a place. A new or an original idea can often lead to innovation. Our actions are based upon beliefs, beliefs are patterns or organized sets of ideas.
Credit: Wikipedia - ideasIf I can be profoundly interested in what you think and what you will think next and where you will go with your thinking, you will generate ideas and insights and ways forward that you wouldn’t do without this attention. Credit: Nancy Kline Posts where this quotation is embedded A Brief History of Knowledge 200,000 years … Continue reading Being Profoundly Interested in What You Think Nancy Kline
The best way to gauge the quality of someone’s ideas isn’t to listen to them talking. It’s to read their writing. Compelling speakers can mask weak logic with strong charisma. Putting key points on a page exposes flawed reasoning. Compelling writing requires clear thinking. Credit: Adam Grant Source: X (Twitter)Posts where this quotation is embedded A … Continue reading The Best Way to Gauge the Quality of Someone’s Ideas Adam Grant (2024)
You think that writing is communicating your ideas to your readers. It is not. What is professional writing? Professional writing, what is it? It’s not conveying your ideas to your readers. It’s changing their ideas. Nobody cares what ideas you have. Credit: Larry McEnerney Comment: Larry stresses that the purpose of professional writing is to … Continue reading Changing Your Readers’ Ideas Larry McEnerney
The function of an academic piece is not to communicate your ideas, it’s to change the ideas of an existing community. Now, sometimes you do that by communicating your ideas, sometimes you don’t. But understand what it’s for and understand that your training has been all about revealing your head. Credit: Larry McEnerney Comment: Larry … Continue reading The Function of an Academic Piece of Writing Larry McEnerney
When it comes to the ideas and opinions you hold, see them as toys or building blocks that you are playing with. Some you will keep, others you will knock down, but your spirit remains flexible and playful. Credit: Robert Greene Comment: This quote encourages a flexible and open-minded approach to ideas and beliefs, likening … Continue reading Ideas as Toys Robert Greene
You think for yourself first by learning a lot of the thoughts of other people. Other thoughts and ideas don’t pollute originality and independence, they create the preconditions for it. Credit: Scott H. Young Books: Scott H. YoungLearning From Others Scott H. YoungQuotations: Scott H. YoungLearning From Others Scott H. YoungTags: ideas (21) | Scott … Continue reading Learning From Others Scott H. Young
In this book, Rebel Ideas, Matthew Syed examines the power of cognitive diversity — the ability to think differently about the world around us. He explains how to harness our unique perspectives, pool our collective intelligence, and tackle the greatest challenges of our age — from climate change to terrorism. AustraliaAustriaBrazilCanadaChinaCzech RepublicEgyptFranceGermanyGlobalIndiaItalyJapanMexicoNetherlandsPolandSaudia ArabiaSingaporeSpainTurkeyUAEUnited KingdomUnited … Continue reading Rebel Ideas: the Power of Diverse Thinking Matthew Syed (2019)
Posts where this video is embedded A Brief History of Knowledge 200,000 years of human history Al Jazeera Cafe An interesting experiment not to deabate but engage in a global conversation Artificial Intelligence and the Quest for Knowledge Exploring the parallels between Plato’s Phaedrus and the challenges of GenAI Avoid Anonymity Anonymity kills the conversation Avoiding Modern-day Colonialism Colonialism: the … Continue reading Where Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)
Posts where this video is embedded A Brief History of Knowledge 200,000 years of human history Al Jazeera Cafe An interesting experiment not to deabate but engage in a global conversation Artificial Intelligence and the Quest for Knowledge Exploring the parallels between Plato’s Phaedrus and the challenges of GenAI Avoid Anonymity Anonymity kills the conversation Avoiding Modern-day Colonialism Colonialism: the … Continue reading Did Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)
Steven Johnson is an American popular science author and media theorist. 5 Minute Life Lessons with Steven Johnson WebsiteSteven JohnsonWikipediaSteven JohnsonTwitter@stevenbjohnsonYouTubeSteven JohnsonGoogleSteven Johnson Twitter Tweets by Steven Johnson Books: Steven JohnsonDid Coffee Fuel the Age of Enlightenment? Steven Johnson (2009)Steven Johnson Popular science authorWhere Good Ideas Come From Steven Johnson (2010)Videos: Steven JohnsonDid Coffee Fuel … Continue reading Steven Johnson Popular science author
Gurteen Knowledge Blog January 28, 2021, 15:29I rather like this thought about ideas from Pablo Picasso. You have to have an idea of what you are going to do, but it should be a vague idea. Credit: Pablo Picasso In other words, we don’t necessarily need a clear, crisp, sharp idea or vision. A hazy one, … Continue reading Are Vague Ideas Sometimes Better Than Firm Ones? Maybe vague ideas are at the heart of being creative
Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us. Sometimes after a meeting I want to arrange another one because new ideas are born and I discover new needs. This is important: to get to … Continue reading Proselytism Is Solemn Nonsense Pope Francis
Listening to others’ verbalized experiences stimulates memories, ideas, and experiences in participants. This is also known as the group effect where group members engage in “a kind of ‘chaining’ or ‘cascading’ effect; talk links to, or tumbles out of, the topics and expressions preceding it” Credit: Thomas R. Lindlof and Bryan C. Taylor Comment: I … Continue reading Listening to Others’ Experiences Stimulates Memories and Ideas Thomas Lindlof and Bryan Taylor
Gurteen Knowledge Blog August 3, 2021, 11:07Occasionally a reader of my knowledge letter takes issue with one of my posts or quotations that reference certain other people or their ideas or even their tone. One or two readers have even stopped subscribing to my knowledge letter at the mere mention of someone’s name. Typically, they “do … Continue reading We Can Learn From Anyone There is always some signal
Gurteen Knowledge Blog December 5, 2021, 11:18Jordan Peterson recently tweeted: The best way to teach people critical thinking is to teach them to write because there’s no difference between that and thinking. Credit: Jordan Peterson I would disagree that there is no difference, but writing certainly forces me to assess my ideas critically. When I write … Continue reading Writing Aids Critical Thinking What’s the difference between writing and critical thinking?
Silicon Valley Versus Route 128 Building 20 at MIT Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter In the early 2000s, Google introduced its 20% time policy that let workers spend one day a week on their own projects. This helped employees create new ideas while still doing their main jobs. Though it was hard to … Continue reading The Google 20% Free Time Policy Innovation Story: A catalyst for innovation
In this book, A More Beautiful Question, Warren Berger shows that one of the most powerful forces for igniting change in business and in our daily lives is a simple, under-appreciated tool – one that has been available to us since childhood. Questioning – deeply, imaginatively, “beautifully” – can help us identify and solve problems, come … Continue reading A More Beautiful Question: the Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger (2016)
Conversation Covenant Brown-bag Lunches ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What is brainstorming? Brainstorming is a popular ideation technique for generating new ideas. The basic premise is to get a group together and have them share their ideas freely, without judgment. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, regardless of … Continue reading Brainstorming A group discussion to produce a list of ideas or solutions to a problem.
Focus Group Café Idea Campaign Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter An Ideation Café is a conversational method used to generate ideas to address a particular issue, problem, or opportunity. It is an adaptation of the Knowledge Café and avoids some of the criticisms of the traditional brainstorming process. Resources Article: Groupthink: The brainstorming myth by … Continue reading Ideation Café A conversation to solve problems or generate ideas
Ideation Café Decision Making Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter An Idea Campaign Café is a conversational method that you can use to solicit ideas on a particular issue, problem, or opportunity. It draws upon the conversational power of the Ideation Café (a variant of the Knowledge Café) and the Randomised Coffee Trial processes. Background Many … Continue reading Idea Campaign Café A series of focused conversations to generate ideas
Street Epistemology Theodore Zeldin’s Conversation Dinners Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Coming up with new ideas or insights in a conventional brainstorming session is often hard work and not very engaging. An alternative approach is the so-called reverse brainstorming. Overview of the process The concept of reverse brainstorming is simple: rather than brainstorm … Continue reading Reverse Brainstorming Café Brainstorming the opposite of what you want
