Dr Edward de Bono at Creative Innovation 2010 - "Re-thinking the future"

Summary

Edward de Bono discusses how poor thinking, not climate change, is the biggest problem facing humanity. He explains that our brains are designed to form routine patterns, making them less effective at creative thinking. De Bono critiques the historical reliance on logic and argumentation, especially by institutions like the church, and highlights the need for more value-creating, design-oriented thinking. He suggests integrating design projects into education and employing techniques like challenge, concept extraction, and provocation to foster creativity. He concludes by advocating for a 'Palace of Thinking' to generate innovative solutions for global issues.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The biggest problem facing humanity is not climate change, but poor thinking.
• 🤔 People are unaware that their thinking is not as good as they believe it to be.
• 🔄 The brain is designed to form and follow patterns, which is efficient but can limit creativity.
• 🩺 Most thinking involves recognizing patterns and applying standard solutions, which works well but isn't enough.
• 🏛️ Greek logic and the Church's influence have shaped a thinking system focused on truth and logic, but it lacks creativity and value creation.
• 💡 Creativity involves breaking away from established patterns to create new possibilities, which is often neglected culturally.
• 👨‍🏫 Education should focus more on creativity and design, encouraging students to engage in weekly design projects.
• ⚡ Techniques like challenge, concept extraction, provocation, and random word generation can help break away from traditional thinking.
• 🛠️ These techniques for creative thinking can be learned and applied deliberately; they are not magical or mysterious.
• 🌍 De Bono advocates for a 'palace of thinking' to collect and promote new ideas and solve world problems with creative meetings.

Q & A

What does Edward de Bono identify as the biggest problem facing humanity?

Edward de Bono argues that the biggest problem facing humanity is poor thinking, not climate change. He emphasizes that most people don't realize how flawed their thinking is.

Why does Edward de Bono believe that the brain is designed to form patterns?

De Bono explains that the brain is designed to allow incoming information to organize itself into routine patterns, which helps us function efficiently in daily life without constantly analyzing every decision.

What does de Bono mean by the term 'Abner'?

The term 'Abner' coined by de Bono means 'excellent but not enough.' It highlights that while existing thinking systems may be effective, they often fall short in areas like creativity and design.

Why does Edward de Bono think traditional thinking methods are not enough?

De Bono believes traditional thinking is effective at analyzing and solving standard problems but fails when it comes to creating new possibilities and generating innovative solutions.

What role does creativity play in thinking, according to de Bono?

De Bono emphasizes that creativity allows for new ideas by breaking away from established patterns. It’s about finding novel connections between concepts, much like how humor works by making unexpected, yet logical, jumps.

How does Edward de Bono view the thinking system developed by the church during the Renaissance?

De Bono argues that the thinking system developed by the church focused on truth, logic, and argument to support dogma, which stifled the need for creative and perceptual thinking. This legacy has limited our capacity for creative problem-solving.

What example does de Bono give to demonstrate the power of challenging conventional thinking?

De Bono mentions how in the 1970s, he challenged the conventional method of drilling oil wells vertically. By proposing horizontal drilling, a technique that became widely adopted, oil companies could extract three to six times more oil from a single well.

What is the purpose of the 'Six Thinking Hats' method?

The 'Six Thinking Hats' method, developed by de Bono, is a tool for parallel thinking. It allows individuals or groups to explore different perspectives on a problem simultaneously, rather than through argument, which traditionally pits one idea against another.

What is Edward de Bono's proposed solution to improve global thinking?

De Bono suggests creating a 'Palace of Thinking,' where new ideas can be collected, promoted, and developed. The palace would also host creative meetings to address global issues and generate new solutions for world problems.

How does Edward de Bono distinguish between errors in logic and errors in perception?

De Bono highlights that most thinking errors (90%) are not due to faulty logic but rather poor perception. This distinction is important because even flawless logic can't compensate for flawed perceptions in decision-making.