Eureka Effect

From Archimedes‘ discovery of the principle of water displacement to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity; from Brunelleschi’s development of perspective drawing to the Impressionist revolution; from the taming of fire to the creation of the laser, „breakthrough thinking“ – a sudden, seemingly unaccountable moment of inspiration – has shaped and advanced civilization. But nature invents, too – through evolutionary watersheds like vertebrate mammals and formerly grounded creatures making the leap to flight. Drawing on a knowledge of artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology, this book offers an integrative theory of how breakthroughs occur, along with dozens of mind puzzles and illustrations. The puzzles reveal the four key processes behind breakthrough thinking: roving, detecting, reframing and decentering.