Lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic.
The term was invented in 1967 by Edward de Bono.
Lateral thinking is different from our normal perceptions regarding creativity and innovation, and it is an alternative to pure vertical logic/scientism and pure horizontal imagination/spirituality:
Purely horizontal thinking is known as daydreaming, fantasy, mysticism. The purely horizontal thinker has a thousand ideas but puts none of them into action. He or she sees the big picture and all its possibilities but has little interest in linear, step-by-step implementation.
Purely vertical thinking is the classic method for problem solving: from the given data step by step working out the solution.
lateral thinking in class....
we are given a task to protect an egg from breaking. we can only use newspaper, adhesive tape, a rope and one natural thing.
