MESSAGE FOR WEEK BEGINNING 12th February 2001

The New Renaissance...

Today, February 12, 2001, I am giving a lecture at the Royal Geographical Society in London. I shall be using this occasion formally to launch 'The New Renaissance'.

In many ways the traditional Renaissance was an intellectual disaster for Western civilisation. This is because it was concerned with 'recognition' rather than thinking. The Greek Gang of Three (Socrates, Plato and Aristotle) put the emphasis on truth, judgement, analysis and recognising standard situations (boxes, categories, principles etc.). There is nothing wrong with the front left wheel of a car. It is excellent but inadequate. Indeed the very excellence of this mode of thinking locked civilisation in for centuries. Ninety percent of education is directed towards recognising standard situations. Very little attention is directed towards value design.

Readers of my books will know the contrast I make between 'what is' thinking and 'what can be' thinking. Analysis, judgement, recognition and argument, are only one aspect of thinking. For example the parallel thinking of the Six Hats method is spreading very rapidly because it is so much faster and more constructive than argument.

The irony is that recognition has been of most value in science which Socrates largely thought a waste of time. In matters such as conflict and dispute resolution the recognition method is worse than useless because it sets up and exacerbates conflicts with the emphasis on judgement - rather than designing a way forward. Value is to design as truth is to analysis. In different ways I shall be carrying forward this New Renaissance on this site and on my other site www.edwarddebono.com. There will be suggestions as to how others can contribute.

Edward de Bono nmt
11th February 2001
London