Analogical Thinking

Can anyone work out what the labels on the sections of the brain say?

I missed the lecture and tutorial the week this was presented but I’d like to see if I understand this subject.

If you use ‘analogical thinking’ as a keyword in a library catalogue or journal article database most of the results will be about science, psychology, computational thinking, artificial intelligence and neural science. Few include the ‘creative arts‘;  however, author John J. Clements quotes Albert Einstein and Leopold Infeld as saying ‘It has often happened in physics that an essential advance was achieved by carrying out a consistent analogy between apparently unrelated phenomena…The association of solved problems with those unsolved may throw new light on our difficulties by suggesting new ideas. It is easy to find a superficial analogy which really expresses nothing. But to discover some essential common features, hidden beneath a surface of external differences, to form, on this basis, a new successful theory, is important creative work.’  (Clement 2009 p. 19) So even though the ‘creative arts’ aren’t well represented in text books it is a way of thinking that can be recognized in all areas of artistic pursuits, the most prevalent being print and electronic media.

So what is analogical thinking? Well! One of my lecturers told me that nothing is original, it has all been done before. Thinking analogically would be to take inspiration from something that has been ‘done before’ as a basis for creating something new and different. Taking two or more seemingly unrelated ideas and creating other ideas. For example, using mythology and legends then putting the characters into a different time period and writing books or scripts with a different slant on old tales. Political Cartoonists often draw on history when commenting on a political faux pas.

What is synetics? G. A. Davis tells us that it is ‘the joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements’. I liken it to putting ingredients into a blender and turning on the power. What you get out of the blender depends on what you put into it. It’s the same with ideas and many great inventions, books and movies have resulted from a blending of ideas. It is also a way of solving problems which many businesses use, especially in meetings to get more and different aspects of a problem or to create new innovations.

There are four ‘analogy-based techniques’ for analogical thinking. Direct Analogy is getting back to nature to see how mother nature solves problems. Personal Analogy is getting up close and personal to the problems and putting yourself right into it – literally. Fantasy Analogy, this gets a little far-fetched with ideas and tries to do the seemingly impossible. Symbolic Analogy is full of oxymorons,  contradictions and intelligent mistakes.

In part 4 of the activity exercises which says:

’4. Complete the following synectic activity:
a. Direct Analogy: Choose an animal that typifies your sense of freedom.
b. Personal Analogy: Put yourself in the position of the animal and in a few
sentences describe what makes you feel and act with so much freedom while in
its form?
c. Fantasy Analogy: List the “unfree” attributes of your animal life and for each item
consider one wishful-thinking example of how the animal (or a situation around it)
would enable the animal to escape it. Translate these examples into experiences
of freedom/constraint that exist in your life and how you might overcome them.
d. Symbolic Analogy: Use at least 5 of the oxymorons below (concepts that are
contradictory but may contain their own sense) and try to relate them to
experiences of freedom (i.e. things that “free” or “motivate” you to be productive)
and/or constraint (that “block” or “demotivate” you) that you experience at home,
work, and/or university’.

I chose my freedom animal; the cheetah. While I am in its skin I have the freedom of the fresh air, I don’t care about the rain because it feels so refreshing on my face as I run. I run fast, so fast no-one can catch me but I can catch them. Mmmm dinner on the run and no cooking. The wind in my face and the scenery swiftly passing gives me a feeling of majesty over it. I feel this way because of the constraints that are upon me at home. I would like to be free of them but the sense of responsibility I feel towards my grandchildren and not wanting them to be homeless ties me to them. I’d run if I could.

The ‘unfree’ aspects of life as a cheetah (female) would be the male dominance of nature but I would just either purr him out of it or kill him. Then there is the threat from hunters and their big guns. Hmm! here’s a teaser however; I could outrun them or circle around to the back of them and kill them. There is also the territorial constraints which wouldn’t really faze me too much being a strong, independent cheetah. I’d just avoid the main trails and stay aware and wary and I’m fit enough to outrun most enemies. I feel tied at home with my family living with me and not contributing to the household in any way. Sometimes killing them seems the only way that I will ever be free. Of course, that is not a practical way of dealing with it. Unfortunately, everything I’ve tried so far has failed and I’m lost for an answer (that probably explains why I want to kill).

Now the hard part! Oxymorons – the first one has to be ‘alone together’ – this is the story of my life. I am a solitary person but I always end up with people living with me even when I want and expect to be alone. At the moment it is my son and two grandchildren. They make it most difficult to do the things that I would like to do. They are unmotivated and won’t clean up after themselves or even help me and they don’t consider my need for peace and quiet when I am trying to study. This demotivates me and I often struggle to meet deadlines.

The next one would be ‘open secret’. I am open about my life and will talk to people about my experiences but my feelings still lay deep and secret. Sometimes this can be restrictive when writing creatively as I don’t access some of the things down in my soul that would bring a different perspective to my writing.

Another oxymoron would be eager impatience. As this is my last year my first semester unit and this unit have motivated me to the point of eagerness to do well and get my degree finished. I have become impatient to graduate now, whereas earlier I was never sure that I would make it to the finish line.

References:

Clement, J.J. (2009) Creative Model Construction in Scientists and Students: The Role of Imagery, Analogy, and Mental Stimulation.  Massachusetts:  Springer.

Davis, G. A. (2004) Creative inspiration through analogical thinking. Creativity is forever  (pp. 145-170). (5th Ed.). USA: Kendell/Hunt