99. Types of Thinking

For some questions there is only one correct answer–like the sum of the numbers 6 and 8 or the location of Taj Mahal. Thinking process involved in this is called ‘Convergent Thinking’. This is the opposite of ‘Divergent Thinking’ process.

‘Divergent thinking’ tries to find many possible solutions to any single problem. It expands a person’s mind. It allows creative thinking as there can be more than one solution to a problem.

The goal of divergent thinking is to generate as many ideas as possible. This thought process is spontaneous and free flowing. Ideas may be random and unorganized. Convergent thinking should follow divergent thinking to organize these ideas in an orderly fashion.

‘Critical thinking’ is involved when we try to assess the worth and validity of some existing things or theories. This requires precise ‘objective analysis’, which is a convergent thinking process.

‘Creative thinking’ is to generate new ideas which are as good as, or better than, the existing ones. This involves divergent thinking.

‘Inductive thinking’ is to reason from the smaller parts to the whole and from the examples to generalization.

‘Deductive thinking’ is to reason from the whole to its parts and from generalization to the examples.

Thinking is a special gift given only to human beings and the almost-human-primates. The rest of the creation lives by its instinct and not by thinking and solving problems.

Visalakshi Ramani