The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn

by Richard Hamming

There is first the recognition of the problem in some dim sense. This is followed by a longer or shorter period of refinement of the problem. Do not be too hasty at this stage, as you are likely to put the problem in the conventional form and find only the conventional solution. This stage, moreover, requires your emotional involvement, your commitment to finding a solution, since without a deep emotional involvement you are not likely to find a really fundamental, novel solution. A long gestation period of intense thinking about the problem may result in a solution, or else the temporary abandonment of the problem. This temporary abandonment is a common feature of many great creative acts. The monomaniacal pursuit often does not work; the temporary dropping of the idea sometimes seems to be essential to let the subconscious find a new approach. Then comes the moment of “insight,” creativity, or whatever you want to call it—you see the solution. Of course, it often happens that you are wrong;