To understand How To Think better, it would help to know;
- The nature of thought process
Unless we understand the nature of thinking itself, I don't think we can come up with better way to think.
- The motivation: Why do we think?
It's important to know the motivation of our thought/questioning because we may be able to determine correct methodology depending on the desired goal. Thinking without knowing what we desire to achieve (both consciously and subconsciously) would make it a lot more difficult (if possible) to obtain what we want and to be satisfied.
- Current situation: How do we tend to think?
We are not always aware of how we think and state of our thought. Without observing how we think (in realtime or in retrospect), we would remain blind to what's happening in our mind.
- Problems and weakness: Where can we change/improve?
We have lots of biases and presumptions (among other problems) that may disturb our thought. Understanding and reducing some of them would be important if we want to think well.
- Methodology: How can we think better?
If we know what we want and what kind of problem we have, we can possibly come up with how to do better.
The motivation: Why do we think?
What triggers questioning?
- Why do you think? Why do you believe? What's the motivation? http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=166668
Current situation: How do we tend to think?
- The Deception of Language http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=139222
- Victim Mentality http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=164107
- Absolutism VS. Relativism (of evaluations) http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=167753
Problems and weakness: Where can we change/improve?
- The lack of perspective (in the sense of absolutist, black & white, us-them thinking) http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=17172
- Associative thinking explained http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=17172&sp=126369#126369
- presumption of absolute/unconditional/unlimited
We tend to presume that things are absolute/unconditional/unlimited without nuance, potential for error, restraining condition, spacial/time/perspective limitation of applicability.
- Presumption of permanence/persistence (or things being static)
We tend to think without the possibility of changes and differences depending on time or location/direction. The lack of time/space perspective. Presumption that things would be always and everywhere the same.
- The Deception of Language http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=139222
- Frozen Filosophy http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=163196
- Presumption of positivity/rightness
We tend to focus on what seem to be positive/right without well distributed evaluation of possibilities, and presume that they are (absolutely) positive/good/right. The lack of opposite perspective.
Probably, these are the form of wishful thinking that desired/preferred things absolute (without any condition/dependency/condition/limit) in every way.
Methodology: How can we think better?
From technical problem solving http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/fst696/FST696.html
- From Medical science course: 2D vs 3D, etc http://stomach.cancertheory.jp/cancer_theory/philosophy/thinking_methods/index.php
View Points http://stomach.cancertheory.jp/cancer_theory/philosophy/viewpoints/index.php
- Problem-Solving Skills in Education and Life http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/methods.htm
- How to think well http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=171312
- Overhauling Philosophy (and/or our thinking, in general) http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=169073