Monday 16 October 2017

Outline of Thought

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



A chimpanzee thinking.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to thought (thinking):
Thought (also called thinking) – the mental process in which beings form psychological associations and models of the world. Thinking is manipulating information, as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, reason and make decisions. Thought, the act of thinking, produces thoughts. A thought may be an idea, an image, a sound or even an emotional feeling that arises from the brain.

Nature of thought[edit]

Thought (or thinking) can be described as all of the following:
  • An activity taking place in a:
    • brain – organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals (only a few invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, adult sea squirts and starfish do not have a brain). It is the physical structure associated with the mind.
    • computer (see § Machine thought below) – general purpose device that can be programmed to carry out a set of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Since a sequence of operations (an algorithm) can be readily changed, the computer can solve more than one kind of problem.
  • An activity of intelligence – intelligence is the intellectual prowess of which is marked by cognition, motivation, and self-awareness.[3] Through intelligence, living creatures possess the cognitive abilities to learn, form concepts, understand, apply logic, and reason, including the capacities to recognize patterns, comprehend ideas, plan, problem solve, make decisions, retaining, and use language to communicate. Intelligence enables living creatures to experience and think.
    • A type of mental process – something that individuals can do with their minds. Mental processes include perception, memory, thinking, volition, and emotion. Sometimes the term cognitive function is used instead.
  • Thought as a biological adaptation mechanism[4]

Types of thoughts[edit]

Content of thoughts[edit]

Types of thought (thinking)[edit]

Listed below are types of thought, also known as thinking processes.

Animal thought[edit]

Further information: Animal cognition and Animal intelligence

Human thought[edit]

Classifications of thought[edit]

Creative processes[edit]

Decision-making[edit]

Main article: Decision-making

Erroneous thinking[edit]

See also: Error and Human error

Emotional intelligence (emotionally based thinking)[edit]

Problem solving[edit]

  • Problem solving steps
  • Process of elimination
  • Systems thinking
  • Problem-solving strategy – steps one would use to find the problem(s) that are in the way to getting to one’s own goal. Some would refer to this as the ‘problem-solving cycle’ (Bransford & Stein, 1993). In this cycle one will recognize the problem, define the problem, develop a strategy to fix the problem, organize the knowledge of the problem cycle, figure-out the resources at the user's disposal, monitor one's progress, and evaluate the solution for accuracy.
    • Abstraction – solving the problem in a model of the system before applying it to the real system
    • Analogy – using a solution that solves an analogous problem
    • Brainstorming – (especially among groups of people) suggesting a large number of solutions or ideas and combining and developing them until an optimum solution is found
    • Divide and conquer – breaking down a large, complex problem into smaller, solvable problems
    • Hypothesis testing – assuming a possible explanation to the problem and trying to prove (or, in some contexts, disprove) the assumption
    • Lateral thinking – approaching solutions indirectly and creatively
    • Means-ends analysis – choosing an action at each step to move closer to the goal
    • Method of focal objects – synthesizing seemingly non-matching characteristics of different objects into something new
    • Morphological analysis – assessing the output and interactions of an entire system
    • Proof – try to prove that the problem cannot be solved. The point where the proof fails will be the starting point for solving it
    • Reduction – transforming the problem into another problem for which solutions exist
    • Research – employing existing ideas or adapting existing solutions to similar problems
    • Root cause analysis – identifying the cause of a problem
    • Trial-and-error – testing possible solutions until the right one is found
    • Troubleshooting –
  • Problem-solving methodology

Reasoning[edit]

Machine thought[edit]

Main articles: Machine thought and Outline of artificial intelligence

Organizational thought[edit]

Organizational thought (thinking by organizations)

Aspects of the thinker[edit]

Aspects of the thinker which may affect (help or hamper) his or her thinking:

Properties of thought[edit]

Fields that study thought[edit]

Thought tools and thought research[edit]

History of thinking[edit]

Nootropics (cognitive enhancers and smart drugs)[edit]

See also: List of nootropics
Substances that improve mental performance:

Organizational thinking concepts[edit]

Main articles: Organizational studies and Organizational psychology

Teaching methods and skills[edit]

Main articles: Education and Teaching

Awards related to thinking[edit]

Awards for acts of genius[edit]

Organizations[edit]

Media[edit]

Publications[edit]

Books[edit]

Periodicals[edit]

Television programs[edit]

Persons associated with thinking[edit]

People notable for their extraordinary ability to think[edit]

Scientists in fields that study thought[edit]

Scholars of thinking[edit]

Related concepts[edit]

Awareness and perception[edit]

Main articles: Awareness and Perception

Learning and memory[edit]

Main articles: Education, Learning, and Memory

See also[edit]

Miscellaneous
Thinking
Lists

References[edit]

  1. Jump up^ Dictionary.com, "mind": "1. (in a human or other conscious being) the element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, etc.: the processes of the mind. 2. Psychology. the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes and activities. 3. intellect or understanding, as distinguished from the faculties of feeling and willing; intelligence."
  2. Jump up^ Google definition, "mind": "The element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness." [1]
  3. Jump up^ Tirri, Nokelainen. Measuring Multiple Intelligences and Moral Sensitivities in Education. Springer. ISBN 978-94-6091-758-5.
  4. Jump up^ Danko Nikolić (2014). "Practopoiesis: Or how life fosters a mind. arXiv:1402.5332 [q-bio.NC].".
  5. Jump up^ "Definition of: Moral Reasoning". Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  6. Jump up^ "Dictionary Search › proportional reasoning - Quizlet".
  7. Jump up^ "History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy". National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. Retrieved March 8, 2011.

External links[edit]

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