Connecting Analytical Thinking and Intuition: And the Nights Abound with Inspiration (SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences)

This book demonstrates how analytical thinking and intuition can be systematically connected and trained. It is illustrated by figures and photographs and includes creative and stimulating exercises.

We are living in a world of increasing complexity, in which perceiving reality accurately is increasingly important and difficult. Society’s need to address “global grand challenges” requires that the scientific community initiates inter-disciplinary research programmes. These are often far removed from current programmes, which are usually based on intra-disciplinary science. Improving our understanding of complex problems and communicating this understanding to a large group of people from different backgrounds represents an important educational challenge.

Connecting Analytical Thinking and Intuition stimulates students and scientists to improve their skills in thinking, communicating and learning more about being humans. A guide to connecting analytical thinking and intuition is presented using the “dream group” method developed by Montague Ullman, in which a group of 6–8 people systematically and carefully helps the dreamer to appreciate dreams. The importance of good memory, which can be trained through recalling the dreams, is also discussed in relation to science and literature.

Anders Omstedt is a professor at the University of Gothenburg, Department of Marine Sciences: Oceanography. His main work has examined the ocean climate and ice-covered water bodies, particularly in coastal seas and lakes. He was part-time scientific coordinator at the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment for a five-year period and previously occupied various positions at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute.

He has long experience working with dreams and is an approved dream group leader according to the Swedish Dream Group Forum. 

Anders Omstedt has written about 200 articles and books, more than 80 of which have been published in reviewed international journals. His professional experience involves project/scientific leader for many research programs, reviewer and guest editor, chairmen and convener, invited speaker, opponent for Ph. D. thesis, member of examination committees, tutor for M. Sc and Ph. D. thesis, member of international unions and working groups.