`lateral thinking' originated by dr. Edward de bono

[sundarar]

What is Lateral Thinking?
Lateral thinking is a using the mind as logical thinking – but in a very different way.

What are its fundamental aspects?
i. Deliberate generation of alternative ways of
looking at things
ii. challenging assumptions

What is Generation of alternatives?
Any particular way of looking at things (ie. With a Quota – fixed no. of alternative ways) is only one from among many other possible ways (i.e. with a Quota - fixed no. of alternative ways of looking at a situation).

What is challenging of assumptions?
Assumption may have to be CHALLENGED against in various Courts of Truth, with the `why’ technique duly knowing the ANSWER.

What is involved in Forward thinking?
INNOVATION and CREATIVITY involve FORWARD THINKING.

What is Backward Thinking?
LATERAL THINKING is backward thinking.

Why is Backward Thinking?
One may have to look backward in a new way in order to move forward.

What relates to Backward Thinking?
Before proceeding to consider innovation it is necessary to consider an aspect of thinking that applies much more to forward thinking. This is the matter of evaluation and suspended judgement.

What are the ways of encouraging Lateral Thinking?
The three ways of encouraging Lateral Thinking are
- Awareness of the principles of lateral thinking, the need for thinking, the rigidity of vertical thinking patterns.
- The use of some definite technique which develops the original pattern and may bring about restructuring..
- The deliberate alteration of circumstances so that they can stimulate restructuring.

What are the practical situations that encourage the use of Lateral Thinking

 Description
 Problem Solving
 Design

What are the problems of Lateral Thinking?
To get going, to get some movement, to start a train of thought. To escape the natural, obvious, cliché train of thought.

What are the uses of Lateral Thinking?
Problem solving, Processing of Perpetual choice, Periodic Reassessment and Prevention of sharp divisions & polarizations.

Lateral Thinking is needed to handle the perceptual choice which is itself beyond the reach of Vertical Thinking. The differences between both types of thinking indicate that Lateral Thinking is not a substitute for Vertical thinking, but both are required and complementary to each other.

[badri mannargudi]

My dear friends,
Excellent work done by Srrjee; there can be no second opinion about this.
It is an art to have the power of lateral thinking . U would be amazed to see the results. Not everyone is blessed with such a kind of approaching a problem in an imitable style with unconventional methods, not necessarily aided by pure or algebraic methods, but a simply lay manlike approach but yet coming out with the same (sometimes, more appealing and more sensible)results as a Scientist or mathematician, for that matter would arrive at with all his abilities at his command.
A few examples may issue, in the posts that would emerge in this thread very soon.
Thanks once again to Srrjee.
With regards,
Badri

[badri mannargudi]

Dear friends,
It is not understood why this lovely thread has no takers. One should appreciate the efforts taken by Srrjee in starting the thread and sooner than later shall we find the thread becoming an absorbing one.
I resume where I had left. That is I start with a simple problem which should induce the Lateral Thinking.
A Budhist Monk with a view to perform Meditation, at the summit of a little inhabited Hill. One day exactly at Sun rise (say 0600 Hrs IST) leaves the Base and starts climbing the narrow footpath. uphill, reaches the summit exactly at Sun Set (say 1800 Hrs). After completing the Meditation (allowance of time for food, relaxationand sleep provided) etc which last a few days, one day exactly at Sun Rise,(say 0600 Hrs IST) the Monk starts descending. All that I know is that the Monk reached the Base. (Time taken not known).
Now the big question is , what is the probability/possibility for the Monk to be at a particular spot (from IST viewpoint) at the same time.(Obviously on different dates, though. In other words, can there be a possibility for the Monk to wonder himself that he was at the same spot at a given IST both while going up and coming up. No assumptions such as fixed speed fixed rest and fixed place for taking meal etc., The solution should be free of any suppositions.

I invite friends to give me a solution. ((When this problem was given to me some 25 years ago, I gave a mathematical solution - my brother admired, but when he gave me a book solution based on lateral thinking, I was amazed by the power of thinking of the layman who gave the correct answer which was nothing short of literal expression of my graphical solution.
).
With Regards,
BAdri

[Kanaujiaml]

My dear Mr. Badrimannargudi. In ref. to your post 3 and the problem posed therein, I would venture to say that the possibility/probability of reaching at same spot in both upwards and downwards journeys, in my opinian, is one hundred percent. Kindly correct me if I am wrong. As others have already said it on this thread, vertical thinking and lateral thinking both are necessary as both are for different purposes. A scientist must think vertically when doing some research work. A politician must think lateraly or horizontly in order to achieve something for the masses. Even an individual at times thinks vertically sometimes and at other times lateerally/horizontaly, depending upon purpose of such thinking. It is however, necessary to know as to what approach one should adopt for achieving a specific purpose. Good results/fruits can than only be obtained.

[badri mannargudi]

My dear Mr. Badrimannargudi. In ref. to your post 3 and the problem posed therein, I would venture to say that the possibility/probability of reaching at same spot in both upwards and downwards journeys, in my opinian, is one hundred percent. Kindly correct me if I am wrong. As others have already said it on this thread, vertical thinking and lateral thinking both are necessary as both are for different purposes. A scientist must think vertically when doing some research work. A politician must think lateraly or horizontly in order to achieve something for the masses. Even an individual at times thinks vertically sometimes and at other times lateerally/horizontaly, depending upon purpose of such thinking. It is however, necessary to know as to what approach one should adopt for achieving a specific purpose. Good results/fruits can than only be obtained.

Great to see response to my Brain Teaser. I Thank kjjee,(who renders a great service to pensioners). Yes, sir, you are right. The probability is 1. For starters, in the theory of probability , "one" means 100%.
I give a clue. One may approach the problem using a Graph, mathematically.
Once it is proved mathematically, it would be easier to give a solsution based on Lateral Thinking.
I shall wait for some more time before I give the solution.
Friends are invited to respond.
With regards,
Badri.

[Kanaujiaml]

My dear Badri Mannargudi. To continue with the subject of lateral thinking and problem posed by you, I would give one example. On a single line track, in some cases, a trains goes, say in up direction and a return train comes in down direction on the same track. The up and down trains cross each other. This timing is reflected in Railway Time Table also. The trains cross each other at one or the other station 100 % . I may also mention that a graph is prepared by Controller of trains,where up and down lines vertically represent the actual running of two trains and these lines cross / meet 100 % at some station or the other. I answered your question straight away from these examples.

[badri mannargudi]

My dear Badri Mannargudi. To continue with the subject of lateral thinking and problem posed by you, I would give one example. On a single line track, in some cases, a trains goes, say in up direction and a return train comes in down direction on the same track. The up and down trains cross each other. This timing is reflected in Railway Time Table also. The trains cross each other at one or the other station 100 % . I may also mention that a graph is prepared by Controller of trains,where up and down lines vertically represent the actual running of two trains and these lines cross / meet 100 % at some station or the other. I answered your question straight away from these examples.

Great work, knjee!
This problem (believe me) was originally posed to a few scientists and time given was too short. As they were drawing conclusion using graphs, ( Distance in X axis and time on Y axis. Origin, Base and 6 am. The line representing downward journey has to necessarily cut the line representing upward journy at one place. Depending upon the time spent for rest, food and recreation/relaxation, difference in speed etc., meeting place may be different but there has tobe a point of crossing. This is the mathematical solution.
(This solution was given by me (in 15 minutes)when my brother posed this problem to me about 25 years ago)
Now comes the solution given by a lay man after thinking for about 10minutes;-


(Precisely the solution given by him has similarity to what you have told.
The lay man explained thus;-
As I started my downward journey from the summit, I started imagining/recalling my replica starting from the base. Since you have said that I had returned to the base (an information which is vital) , at one point or other, I have had to meet my replica. Obviously, the place and time (IST) would be same for both myself and my replica at the time of such meeting.
Knjee, I must thank you for spending time on this thread which had no taker for over a month.
I will come up with another problem in a day or two.
With regards,
Badri
Badri

[REX88]

My dear Badri Mannargudi. To continue with the subject of lateral thinking and problem posed by you, I would give one example. On a single line track, in some cases, a trains goes, say in up direction and a return train comes in down direction on the same track. The up and down trains cross each other. This timing is reflected in Railway Time Table also. The trains cross each other at one or the other station 100 % . I may also mention that a graph is prepared by Controller of trains,where up and down lines vertically represent the actual running of two trains and these lines cross / meet 100 % at some station or the other. I answered your question straight away from these examples.

Kaboom!!!?