Thinking in a New Way
This post contains reflections on an aspect of the recent Nicoll Commentary sent out, found in the link below:
WRONG WORK OF CENTRES, Part IV - THE INTELLECTUAL CENTRE AS DIVIDED INTO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PARTS.1
For full citations of abbreviated references, please see Introduction and Bibliography.
Maurice Nicoll asks in the above Commentary, "What is thinking?"2 His response is that the first definition the Work gives is that of comparing. Hence the need for the "twin power" of affirmation and negation to check and challenge each other. This leaves open the possibility for other, further definitions and perhaps levels of what thinking is, in terms of this teaching. Even Nicoll's points about genuine thinking needing effort, having a definite direction, leading to a new place in the mind, and requiring the combination of both yes and no,3 throws into the dust-cart the usual superficial way in which we take the word and the process of thinking. He describes what we usually call thinking simply as "an automatic flow of associations."4