Think like Sherlock: How to develop deductive thinking

Is it real

It’s worth starting with the hopeful one. Sherlock Holmes' abilities are absolutely real. And in general, the legendary character was written off by Conan Doyle from a living person - a professor at the University of Edinburgh, Joseph Bell. He was widely known for his ability to guess the character of a person, his past and profession by little things.

On the other hand, the existence of one real outstanding person does not guarantee success to everyone who tries to repeat his achievements. Mastering abilities comparable to those of Holmes is incredibly difficult. Otherwise, the Scotland Yard cops wouldn't run to Baker Street for clues, right?

What he does is real. But what does he do?

Acts, demonstrates his arrogance, pride and … remarkable mind. All this is justified by the ease with which he solves crimes. But how does he do it?

The deductive method becomes the main weapon of Sherlock Holmes. Logic backed by increased attention to detail and outstanding intelligence.

To this day, there is debate about what Holmes uses: deduction or induction. But, most likely, the truth is somewhere in between. Sherlock Holmes accumulates his reasoning, experience, keys to the most intricate cases, systematizes them, collecting them into a common base, which he then successfully uses, applying both deduction and induction. He does it brilliantly.

Most critics and researchers are inclined to believe that Conan Doyle did not make a mistake and Holmes really uses the deductive method. For simplicity of presentation, below we will talk about it.

What the mind of Sherlock Holmes is wielding

Deductive method

This is the main weapon of the detective, which, however, would not work without a number of additional components.

Attention

Sherlock Holmes captures even the smallest detail. If not for this skill, he simply would not have material for reasoning, evidence and clues.

Knowledge base

The detective himself said it best of all:

All crimes show great generic similarities. They (the agents of Scotland Yard) introduce me to the circumstances of this or that case. Knowing the details of a thousand cases, it would be strange not to solve the thousand and one.

Sherlock Holmes

The palaces of the mind

This is his excellent memory. This is the repository that he turns to almost every time he looks for a solution to a new riddle. These are knowledge, circumstances and facts accumulated by Holmes, a significant part of which cannot be obtained anywhere else.

Continuous analysis

Sherlock Holmes analyzes, reflects, asks and answers questions. Often he even resorts to double analysis, it is not in vain because the detective is constantly acting together with his partner Dr. Watson.

How to learn it

Pay attention to the little things

Build your ability to pay attention to detail to automatism. At the end of the day, only the details matter. They are the material for your reasoning and conclusions, they are the keys to solving and solving the problem. Learn to look. Look in order to see.

Develop memory

This is the only way to learn how to analyze, display your own statistics and form patterns. Only an excellent memory will save you at a difficult moment when you will not have other sources of information. It is memory that will help to correctly analyze all those little things that captured your attention when you attack the trail.

Learn to formulate

Make out your guesses and conclusions, make a "dossier" on passers-by, write verbal portraits, build harmonious and clear logical chains. So you will not only gradually master the Sherlock method, but also make your thinking more precise and clear.

Go deeper into the area

One could say "broaden your horizons", but Holmes would not approve of this lengthy formulation. Try to deepen your knowledge in your chosen field, avoid informational waste and useless knowledge. Try to grow inward, not in breadth, no matter how absurd it may sound.

Concentrate

Among other things, Holmes is a genius of concentration. He knows how to isolate himself from the world around him when he is busy with business, and does not allow distractions to tear himself away from what is important. He should not be distracted by Mrs. Hudson's chatter or the explosion in the neighboring house on Baker Street. Only a high level of concentration will allow you to think soberly and logically. This is a prerequisite for mastering the deduction method.

Learn body language

A source of information that many people forget about. Holmes never neglects him. He analyzes a person's movements, how he behaves and gestures, pays attention to facial expressions and fine motor skills. Sometimes a person betrays his hidden intentions or involuntarily signals his own lie. Use these tips.

Develop intuition

It was intuition that often suggested the right decision to the famous detective. Hordes of charlatans have badly damaged the reputation of the sixth sense, but this does not mean that they should be neglected. Deal with your intuition, learn to trust it and develop it.

Take notes

And notes of a different kind. It makes sense to keep a diary and write down what happened to you during the day. So you analyze everything that you have learned and noticed, summarize and draw a conclusion. The brain is actively working during this analysis. You can take field notes, where you will note your observations of the world around you and people around you. This will help organize observations and deduce patterns. For some, a blog or an electronic diary is more suitable - everything is individual.

Ask questions

The more questions you ask, the better. Be critical of what is happening, look for reasons and explanations, sources of influence and impact. Build logical chains and cause and effect relationships. The ability to ask questions will gradually develop the skill of finding answers.

Solve problems and puzzles

Anything: from ordinary tasks from school textbooks to complex puzzles for logic and lateral thinking. These exercises will keep your brain busy looking for solutions and answers. Just what is needed for the development of deductive thinking.

Come up with puzzles

Have you already learned how to solve them quickly? Try to compose your own. The task itself is unusual, so it won't be easy. But the result is worth it.

Read on. More. Better

Rather, it will not even matter what you read, but how you do it. To develop deductive thinking, you need to analyze what you read and pay attention to details. Compare information from different sources and draw parallels. Include the information received in the context of the knowledge you already have and replenish your card index.

Listen more, talk less

Holmes could not have unraveled matters so easily if he had not listened to every word of the client. Sometimes one word decides whether the case hangs in the air or will be unraveled, whether the legendary detective is interested in him or not. Think only of the huge hound in The Hound of the Baskervilles and one word that turned the girl's life in the second episode of the fourth season of the BBC series.

Love what you do

Only a strong interest and great desire will help you reach the end. Only in this way you will not deviate from the path of constant difficulties and seemingly insoluble problems. If Holmes did not love his work, he would not have become a legend.

Practice

I saved the most important point for the final. Practice is the key to mastering deductive thinking. The key to the Holmes method. Practice anytime, anywhere. Even if at first you are not sure of the correctness of your judgments. Even if at first you are more like Dr. Watson in your conclusions. Look at people on the subway, on the way to work, keep an eye on those around you at train stations and airports. Only a skill brought to automatism will become truly working.

Deductive thinking can come in handy anywhere, and the talents of the legendary detective, with constant practice, will stay with you for life. Holmes' method is interesting in itself and gives amazing results. So why not try to master it?