Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Analytical Thinking - What is Analytical Thinking?
Analytical thinking is based on the analysis of events, situations and results, in order to find the reasons behind those factors and apply optimum solutions, wherever and whenever a problem exists. The term is derived from the word analysis, which in Greek means the process of division into segments. Ana = into + lysis = segmentation. Thus, analysis is literally the process of segmentation of a concept, problem or an event.
The idea behind the application of analysis in certain situations is that smaller parts of a more generic concept are usually easier to be understood. Once reasoning and understanding of those smaller parts are achieved, then, through their integration, the understanding of the whole picture is made possible. In mathematics, this is the core concept of mathematical analysis, by which the measurement of a circle can be achieved, if we assume that it can be divided in infinite, infinitesimally small linear segments, which can be easily measured. Of course, this is an approximation, though a very accurate one, which at most times is considered to be correct.
Analytical thinking can provide us with a framework to find solutions in many cases. It can prove to be very helpful in situations where there is too much information which is not clearly defined and complete. It resembles the completion of a puzzle, where some pieces are missing. Some points in the picture seem to be clear, but may prove misleading.
For example, if in a picture depicting a lake, we can only clearly see a fish, we would conclude, apparently, that the overall picture shows a fish. That is not, however, the reality.
How can we derive, starting from the limited vision of the fish, the overall picture of the landscape of the lake?
At first, we should have already suspected that because of the size of the picture, something bigger should be depicted and the fish is only part of it, otherwise there would not be such a big frame. But what could the larger picture illustrate?
Obviously, and based on the principles of logic (inductive thinking), something which is associated with fish or includes fish.
We now start asking questions: What kind of fish is it? Is it alive or dead; Who was the artist who created the painting? What other works has he produced? We collect information, which will constitute the data to be processed by our brain to solve the problem. All information should be associated with the problem and evaluated to that direction.
Thus, we showed that the original defective vision of the picture was reconstructed through critical and analytical thinking to a totally new consideration, which directs us towards solving the original problem of view, which did not agree with the principles of rationality.
By using appropriate questions and making the critical observations, we can achieve the reconstruction of the original consideration. In this way, new data generate by the process of analytical thinking.
Analytical thinking should be applied carefully, because many times there is the tendency to assume that, what is observed at micro level can be safely transferred to generate the total picture. More specifically, we cannot make the assumption that a small segment of a picture can lead to the generation of an identical whole picture. What we may safely assume is that "only the integration of those small segments - and not each of them separately, since this would just produce many different pictures - generates a big one, combining the attributes of those little parts". Conversely, however, we can assume that if we know what the big picture looks like, then we can assimilate the small parts with the big one. The reverse argument is not considered rational.
In conclusion, analytical intelligence develops when we analyze, compare, evaluate, explain and make plausible judgements. The results arising from the application of analytical thinking in practice, are similar, since it helps us recognize the existence of problems by defining their dimensions in terms of logic. Following is the search for strategies and tactics in order to solve the problems. At this stage there must be mental reconstruction of the problems we face.
In the end, a very important aspect, which resembles laboratory research, is the ability in retrospective terms, to check the strategies used to solve the problem and once this is done, the ability to assess the responses and to judge their effectiveness. Otherwise, again by applying the model of analytical thinking, we should seek new ways to solve the problem.
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