Saturday, February 13, 2010
The Stages of an Idea
An idea begins as an inkling--as a hunch--and when it is pursued through questioning one begins to discover the length and limits of that hunch. In its inchoate stages, the idea is amorphous and weak and useless. If it withstands enough mental or empirical testing to demonstrate its applicability in a variety of contexts, then it moves from being a hunch to becoming a useful idea with borders and backbone. Continued testing of the idea will knock off its rough edges and perhaps force a shifting of its form. The greatest ideas are elegant and compelling. They are powerful in reshaping peoples' consciousness and perspective. The greatest ideas find ready application and wide applicability.
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First of all, I don't think "inchoate" is really a word. Second of all, this is heavy reading. Who wrote that?? It must be a philosopher...must be.
ReplyDeleteI always knew you were smart.
ReplyDeleteThat, my friend, was a good idea which is "elegant and compelling."
ReplyDelete