← Back to archive

Can fallacious detecting mode hamper creativity?

Historical archive only. New interaction is disabled.

Original Question
As one begins exploring an idea, a crude question which eventually shapes the problem grabs my attention.
The process is quite amorphous juggling with many analogous concepts in many ways in no definitive pattern and rules that aren't always logical.
But if one were to follow the route of strict logical boundaries the process seems fairly linear and constrictive. So my question also is, if fallacious reasoning were to spark of an idea, leading to another idea or part of the solution to the big picture, would it be wrong?

Answers

1
Yes, it can. I cannot recall the exact research, but I have come across much research over the years that suggest analytical thinking does hamper creative thinking. From a neuroscientific point of view this makes sense given that our frontal lobes (where analytical thinking takes place) are shut down when we dream, and that moments of insight often hit us in altered states of consciousness, like waking up or falling asleep.

...if fallacious reasoning were to spark of an idea, leading to another idea or part of the solution to the big picture, would it be wrong?



The "wrongness" of the conclusion needs to be judged based on the conclusion itself, not the process in which the conclusion was reached. The reasoning could be fallacious, but the conclusion still correct. This would be like saying that we should not smoke if we want to avoid lung cancer, because a fairy told me. If we call "talking with fairies" our "creative process," we are incorrectly relying on a flawed method for determining empirical facts. Other creative processes can be very effective in problem solving where there is an objective answer, but this gets into a new area that extends outside the scope of your question.
Book

Want the full book?

Get the complete guide to logical fallacies by Bo Bennett.

Buy the Book

Master Logical Fallacies Online

Take the Virversity course and sharpen your reasoning skills with structured lessons.

View Online Course