A Childs Mind Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 One of the main points of this idea is defining what an original thought is. All the time we come up with what we think is an original thought, yet this thought has come from somewhere. Humans cannot imagine something that excludes everything they have ever seen. Therefore, are we incapable of original thought? If we are incapable of original thought, is this one of the limiting factors on our advancement as a species?
Kyrisch Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 It depends on how you define 'original thought'. If you mean something completely unprecedented, then no, but then again how useful would that be? If an idea has no regards to anything you have ever experienced, then chances are it is probably useless in reality. On the other hand, we are entirely capable and quite adept at recombination of old ideas. How else would we be so damn ingenious? I mean, almost every day I'm blown away by the neatness of some odd invention or other. It's ridiculous what people can come up with. 1
Psycho Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Original thought as a definition is far from the idea that it has never been thought of before. All it means is that someone has taken ideas or theories that already exist, while maybe adding stuff of there own and come out with a new idea or invention. The only limiting factor is the data and evidence available as you can't make accurate predictions if the data is incomplete or wrong in some way. Hence the strive in science to know as much as possible about everything so someone can fit the pieces together and make something great, or think of something great that can be added to the data collection hopefully unifying it.
A Childs Mind Posted April 10, 2009 Author Posted April 10, 2009 It depends on how you define 'original thought'. Like something no one has ever thought before. something new
Kyrisch Posted April 11, 2009 Posted April 11, 2009 Like something no one has ever thought before. something new You're still using vague terms. Had anyone ever fathomed the wheel before it was invented? Maybe. But it was the person who took all those odd thoughts and produced something that synthesised the idea.
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