Review: Practical Thinking

In 1971 Edward de Bono published Practical Thinking, and has revised it multiple times; the last time in 1992.

It’s a charming little book, largely because – despite making some false statements – his advice is excellent, practical, and should improve thinking for almost anyone who reads (and applies) it.

The most interesting parts of the book, to me – given I have just completed a major in epistemology, or the study of knowledge (sort-of “how to think”) – was the advice about certainty. It’s well-known (now) that the feeling of certainty people sometimes have is bonkers. de Bono breaks down why it’s bonkers; but also provides ways of avoiding the issue.

I’m not going to re-hash his book, in part because he provides an excellent summary at the back of the book you can reference (and, really, it’s $4).

But the most important takeaway for managers and other “practical thinkers” is the de Bono’s discussion on the tyranny of the YES/NO system. It’s a simple insight: If you keep saying “No” to new ideas, the idea you end up with will be the first idea whose answer isn’t “No.” That is, it will not be the best idea; it will be the first mediocre idea. Abandoning the “YES/NO” system of brainstorming is really rather important.

If you’ve studied, oh, logic, Quine, cognitive psychology, and the philosophy of science, all this stuff will be old hat (and some of it wrong). If not,  I highly recommend it.