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My style
of thinking is best described as a Synthesist (see below), and that is my approach for this paper. There are five basic styles of thinking [From
Harrison, Bramson, The Art of Thinking, 1982 edition]
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The Synthesist: Sees likeness in apparent unlikes, seeks conflict, interested in change
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The Idealist: Welcomes broad range of views, seeks ideal solutions
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The Pragmatist: "Whatever works," seeks shortest route to payoff
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The Analyst: Seeks "one best way," interested in scientific solutions
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The Realist: Relies on "facts" and expert opinions, interested in concrete results
From
Harrison, Bramson, The Art of Thinking:
p.11-12"Only about 11 percent of the
people who have taken the inQ [a test of thinking style] show a preference for the Synthesist Style...
To 'synthesize' means, essentially, to make something new and original out of things that, by themselves, seem very different
from each other. Combining different things - especially ideas - in that way is what Synthesists like to do. Their favorite
thought process is likely to be speculative. 'What if we were to take this idea and that idea and put them together? What
would we have?' The motto of the Synthesist is 'What if...'
Synthesists are integrators.
They like to discover two or more things that to other people may appear to have little or no relationship, and find ways
to fit them into a new, creative combination. Synthesists aren't particularly interested in compromise, consensus, or agreement
on the 'best' solution to a problem... Synthesists tend to be interested in conflict. A strong Synthesist thrives on it, in
fact. The kind of conflict that Synthesists enjoy may not be overt, open conflict such as a shouting argument... Synthesists
like change - often for its own sake... Synthesists are forever looking for conflict, disagreement, change, newness, and they
have a habit of questioning people's basic assumptions about things. They pride themselves on their own 'creativity', incisiveness,
and, often secretly, on their cleverness."
p.103"Synthesists,
finally, do less than anyone else to influence others, partly because they understand how hard it is for true agreement to
be reached... Provided they can find others who are willing to let them, Synthesists will try to influence others through
debate, pointed argument, or the kind of structured exchange of wit - leaping back and forth between logic and absurdity -
as befits their dialectical approach... Our influencing techniques are styled largely for gaining agreement with, and rewards
from, people who are much like ourselves."
p.106"If you want to be effective in
influencing people who are different from yourself, you must learn something about their motivations, values, and Styles of
Thinking."
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