A versatile way to solve problems from a math genius

The word "genius" is often scattered about, but few deserve it with the same unconditional conviction as the engineer and mathematician Claude Shannon. He is considered the father of the information age. He did not just formulate a question and look for answers, but consistently developed a process that would help him notice what is not in sight.

Of course, the problems he worked with are different from the usual ones, but his approach can be generalized and used by everyone. Blogger Zat Rana explained exactly how to do this.

1. Find out the essence of the problem, and do not dwell only on details

We all understand how important it is to find an answer. But we often forget what is needed for this correctly. We focus on details, jumping from one to another, in the hope that in the end they will unite into a single whole.

Shannon did the opposite. Some of his colleagues even thought that he was not careful enough to build a holistic picture.

But he reasoned like this: until you separate everything inessential from the problem, you will not see its essence. And she leads to the answer.

Sometimes you don't know the problem when you get to the bottom of it. Therefore, it is so important not to cling to details, so as not to look for the answer in the wrong direction. To begin with, try to separate everything that is insignificant. This will train yourself to notice the root of the problem, hidden behind unimportant details.

2. Reframe the problem

Thinking about the problem for a long time, we narrow our perception and see only one way of solving it. Logical thinking looks for valid relationships, and if done correctly, it always leads to the same place. arranged a little differently. It also looks for relationships, only they are less consistent and more spontaneous. At the same time, new patterns of thinking emerge.

To stimulate this process, Shannon reformulated the problem in every possible way. For example, he exaggerated and understated it, expressed it in other words, turned it over and looked at it from a different point of view.

This exercise helps you see the problem holistically. However, its essence does not change.

For example, you might ask, "What's the best solution to this problem?" or "What's the worst decision?" Both questions will tell you something new about her, so it's helpful to think about both of them.

3. Multiply the essence of the incoming information

It takes a good idea to solve a problem. But to do this, you first have to come up with a lot of bad ideas. However, it is not enough just to list everything.

There are people who, having heard one idea, will give out only half in response. And there are those who will come up with two more for each idea received.

Claude Shannon

Shannon himself certainly belonged to the second type of people. And an interesting conclusion can be drawn from his statement. It's not just the number of ideas. Any incoming information has a special essence that communicates some kind of truth. This truth underlies the solution of various problems.

To invent, you need to learn to multiply the essence of the incoming information. Bad ideas arise when you get the point wrong. The better you define it, the more effective you will be at finding ideas. Yes, the first step is to increase the number of ideas generated, but the effect will be noticeable only when you begin to understand their essence.