Home > Thought
 | | | |
Learn more about "Thought"
|
|
|
Thought
Thought and '''thinking''' are mind|mental Theory of forms|forms and processes, respectively ("thought" is both.) Thinking allows beings to model (abstract)|model the world and to deal with it effectively according to their goal|objectives, plans, ends and desires.
Words referring to similar concepts and processes include cognition, sentience, consciousness, idea, and imagination.
Thinking involves the mental manipulation of information, as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, reason and make choice|decisions.
Thinking is a higher cognitive function and the analysis of thinking processes is part of cognitive psychology.
Basic process
The basic mechanics of the human brain cells reflect a process of pattern matching or rather pattern recognition|recognition. In a "moment of Human self-reflection|reflection", new situations and new experiences are judged against recalled ones and judgements are made. In order to make these judgements, the intellect maintains present experience and sorts relevant past experience. It does this while keeping present and past experience distinct and separate. The intellect can mix, match, merge, sift, and sort concepts, perceptions, and experience. This process is called reasoning. Logic is the science of reasoning. The awareness of this process of reasoning is access consciousness (see philosopher Ned Block).
Aids to thinking
- Use of model (abstract)|models, symbols, diagrams and pictures.
- Use of abstraction to simplify the effort of thinking.
- Use of metasyntactic variables to simplify the effort of naming.
- Use of iteration and recursion to converge on a concept.
- Limitation of attention to aid concentration and focus on a concept. Use of peace and quiet to aid concentration.
- Goal setting and goal revision. Simply letting the concept percolate in the subconscious, and waiting for the concept to re-surface.
- Talking with like-minded people. Resorting to communication with others, if this is allowed.
- Working backward from the goal.
- Desire for learning.
Pitfalls
- Self-delusions: inability to confront relevant issues (roadblocks).
- Prejudice can lead to flawed thinking
See also
- Train of thought
- Language of thought
- Language and thought
- Intrapersonal communication
- Stream of consciousness (psychology)
- List of basic thinking-related topics
- Lists of thinking-related topics
- Unification Thought
References
- Eric Baum (2004). ''What is Thought'', Chapter Two: The Mind is a Computer Program. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-02548-5
External links
-
- The Psychology of Emotions, Feelings and Thoughts, Free Online Book
- Nature of Human Thought
Category:Thought|
Category:Units of information (cognitive processes)
Category:Neuropsychological assessment
simple:Thought
Related Images
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
 |
Welcome to Start Learning Now.
Explore to your heart's content, and we hope you enjoy reading the material we
have assembled for you here! |
 |
| | | | |
Related News
|
|
Further Resources
|
|
Related Resources
search
|
|
