Are we linear thinkers?

[Twilight Hue]

The question has some koan like qualities, privy for a fair amount of introspection coupled with real world experiences involving a sense of progression and direction.

Do we think in straightforward linear terms? Dependent upon a secussive flow of preceding events that give rise to thinking that can be symbolised as a straight line with an arrow pointing in one direction only or, are there any other ways or direction that the process of thinking can go, other than through what is termed as linear trains of thought?

 

[bobhikes]

No I don't believe so. I am starting to believe that everything is actually random. We are programed to see patterns and to use patterns but the patterns don't actually exist.

 

[icehorse]

The question has some koan like qualities, privy for a fair amount of introspection coupled with real world experiences involving a sense of progression and direction.

Do we think in straightforward linear terms? Dependent upon a secussive flow of preceding events that give rise to thinking that can be symbolised as a straight line with an arrow pointing in one direction only or, are there any other ways or direction that the process of thinking can go, other than through what is termed as linear trains of thought?

We can be, but we mostly aren't.

But this isn't a bad thing. Take the fact that a healthy five year old kid can walk and run and jump and dance and climb and do all of these things and more in combination.

And the world's best teams of computer scientists are struggling to get a robot to just walk. The world's BEST walking robots completely suck compared to a five year old kid. If walking involved linear thinking, we'd have better robots. The thing is, NO ONE can write down a recipe for walking.

So a normal, healthy person can employ linear thinking when needed, but in reality it's seldom needed in day to day life.

 

[YmirGF]

In my case, I am very much a non-linear thinker, in that I am often juggling several ideas simultaneously, each like a pot on a stove gently simmering. At a certain point, each idea does emerge into the foreground as it approaches resolution. So, it is definitely a combination of the two.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

No, human thoughts jump all over the place and I have doubt they can be so easily summarized in such simplistic terms.

 

[ChristineM]

The question has some koan like qualities, privy for a fair amount of introspection coupled with real world experiences involving a sense of progression and direction.

Do we think in straightforward linear terms? Dependent upon a secussive flow of preceding events that give rise to thinking that can be symbolised as a straight line with an arrow pointing in one direction only or, are there any other ways or direction that the process of thinking can go, other than through what is termed as linear trains of thought?

The mind does not work that way, it takes whatever information is available from whatever source (sight, sound, touch, taste, memory) and processes it as required. The outcome can vary for many reasons.

 

[George-ananda]

I would say we think linearly because that is the type of thinking that best allows us to prosper and be successful in this world.

However, I believe reality is vastly more complicated than our linear thinking can understand. I have heard intelligent people with concepts like circular time and an eternal NOW, etc..

I think there is a reason why many have an anti-mystic bent too. Our minds like to dismiss/deny things that make our minds seem puny. It may be an ego thing.

 

[SabahTheLoner]

The question has some koan like qualities, privy for a fair amount of introspection coupled with real world experiences involving a sense of progression and direction.

Do we think in straightforward linear terms? Dependent upon a secussive flow of preceding events that give rise to thinking that can be symbolised as a straight line with an arrow pointing in one direction only or, are there any other ways or direction that the process of thinking can go, other than through what is termed as linear trains of thought?

Thought is more like a web. We just focus on where the metaphorical focus spider crawls more than the subconscious flies sticking themselves on the surface. And for some people this spider loves straight lines. Others are unfortunate enough to have an energetic jumping spider that loves flies too much.