https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avoid_Shift_Improve_- _Energy_E ciency.png#/media/File:Avoid_Shift_Improve_-_Energy_E ciency.png SUPERINTELLIGENCE Reductionism as a Thinking Strategy Ontological, methodological, and theory reductionism Lorenz Duremdes, Polymath Apr 7 · 2 min read am currently reading a book: The 5 Elements of E ective Thinking This brief, highly readable book challenges readers on several fronts, and includes several good quotes: Picasso: I... I www.goodreads.com And the first chapter made me think of how I can apply the 3 main types of reductionism to improve my thinking: Ontological reductionism : a belief that the whole of reality consists of a minimal number of parts. Methodological reductionism : the scientific attempt to provide explanation in terms of ever smaller entities. Theory reductionism : the suggestion that a newer theory does not replace or absorb an older one, but reduces it to more basic terms. Theory reduction itself is divisible into three parts: translation, derivation and explanation.[3] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductionism Ontological Reductionism hat I essentially can do with this one, is by what the book calls “clear the cutter” i.e. removing unnecessary parts while still achieving a particular goal. W A simple example is that planes don’t have to flap their wings to fly, unlike birds. So by removing the component “flapping” we are achieving the same goal “flying” with a lower quantity of parts. An important requirement for ontological reductionism seems to be having a top-down approach i.e. a goal, which, one its own, already “clears the cutter”. Methodological Reductionism his one is best explained by a quote I read in that book: “If you can’t solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it.” — George P ó lya ...And then slowly work your way toward the actual problem you couldn’t solve in the first place. Theory Reductionism n terms of thinking, this one is mostly synonymous to chunking. When chunking different things, you also indirectly can apply ontological reductionism i.e. you have less parts that you have to move and connect like a jigsaw puzzle. . . . T I Related article: Try to Think of Elements That Lead to the Highest Activation of Concepts Elements = e.g. questions medium.com Some rights reserved Education Inspiration Self Improvement Science Productivity Discover Medium Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch Make Medium yours Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore Become a member Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade About Help Legal