Convergent Thinking vs.

Divergent Thinking
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Submitted Sunday, December
07, 2008

Chuck Clayton (915)

Chuck Clayton
http://www.problem-solving-techniques.com
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Divergent and Convergent thinking skills are both important aspects of intelligence, problem
solving and critical thinking. This information is from the Re-Discovery of Common Sense.
Bringing facts and data together from various sources and then applying logic and knowledge to
solve problems, achieve objectives or make decisions is known as convergent thinking.
The deductive logic that the fictional character Sherlock Homes used is a good convergent
thinking example. Gathering various tidbits of facts and data he was able to put the pieces of a
puzzle together and come up with a logical answer to the question: Who done it?
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the
truth." ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Convergent Thinking
Divergent Thinking is thinking outwards instead of inward. It is the ability to develop original
and unique ideas and then come up with a problem solution or achieve an objective.
Einstein was a strong divergent thinker. He asked simple questions and then did mental exercises
to solve problems. For example, as a young man Einstein asked himself what it would be like to
ride on a beam of light. It took him many years of thought experiments, however the answer
helped him develop the special theory of relativity.
Note: Thought experiments are imagined scenarios to understand the way things work.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." ~ Albert Einstein

Divergent Thinking
Standard IQ tests gauge convergent thinking. Pattern recognition, testing knowledge, logic
thought flow and the ability to solve problems can all be tested and graded.
However,there are no accurate tests able to measure divergent thinking skills. It's not surprising
that creative skills can't be tested.
How would one construct a test to determine divergent thinking capabilities?
Did Leonardo da Vinci's creation of the Mona Lisa take more brain power than Einstein's
equation E= MC? Is the design of the Opera house in Sydney Australia more creative than
Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind? Is Alvin Toffler's book Future Shock more
inspired than Salvador Dali's painting of the melting clocks?
Who's to say which of these examples is more creative? Does public opinion decide what how
much creativity was required for something, or is in the eye of the beholder?
These are interesting philosophical questions, and ones that are enjoyable to talk about at parties,
however aren't useful to discover how to creatively think.
A more useful question is: How can divergent and convergent thinking be improved and utilized
to strengthen your critical thinking skills?
Divergent and convergent thinking skills are both important to critical thinking. Not only that,
they are interrelated.
Deductive reasoning looks inward to find a solution, while divergent reasoning looks outward for
a solution. Following the facts and data to determine the answer to a problem is not significantly
different than having a spark of a thought and then coming up with a solution. Some of the same
mental processes are used.
Both require critical thinking skills to be effective. Both are used for solving problems, doing
projects and achieving objectives.
In other words, Divergent and Convergent thinking skills are two sides to the same coin-of
critical thinking. One without the other doesn't make sense. Both start with asking simple
questions from a curious mind. Both can be strengthened by an insatiable curiosity and strong
willingness to learn about the world and the people in it.

Here is an example:
The dream of traveling beyond the reaches of earth's gravity has been around since men and
women first looked up at the stars. It's wasn't until the middle of the 20th century that technology
became available that would make space travel possible.
On October 14 th of 1957 Sputnik was launched by the Russians and the space race began. The
United States was shocked when beaten by the Russians in technology. In response the US
formed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958.
In the early 1960s John Kennedy sent letters to top people in the aerospace industry including
Wernher von Braun. He asked how the US could beat the Russians in the space race.
Von Braun answered saying that the United States couldn't beat them in building a space station;
however we could beat them in a race to the moon.
John Kennedy had done his homework by getting expert advice before giving his famous speech
vowing to transport a man to the moon and bring him safely home by the end of the decade.
His speech helped galvanize almost 400,000 NASA employees and contractors to work as a
cohesive team and accomplish one of the greatest feats of history in less than a decade!
Kennedy used facts and data to determine how we could beat the Russians into space. That was
primarily convergent thinking.
The required development of many new technologies to design and build the rockets, spacesuits,
lunar modules and other equipment to perform this amazing feat required a great deal of
divergent thinking.
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."
~Arthur C. Clarke

Chuck Clayton
Copyright 2009
All Rights Reserved

http://www.problem-solving-techniques.com

Chuck Clayton is Author of the book: The Re-Discovery of Common Sense!

This book teaches thepowerful mindset of acritical thinker, decision maker and problem solver. It is presented in a
fun and entertaining format. There are easy to understand explanations, interesting historical examples, and
practical examples to apply what you have just learned. Itis a fast read and it can be used over and over again for
reference.
For more information please see: www.problem-solving-techniques.com