Louis Sullivan’s Idea: “Every Problem Contains & Suggests its Own Solution”
Details
Architect Sherri Tracinski and Shrikant will be discussing Louis Sullivan’s idea: “Every problem contains and suggests its own solution.”
We will be talking about the first page of section L: “Creative Impulse” from Kindergarten Chats. Read the full text (4 pages) here on 52LivingIdeas.com blog: https://52livingideas.com/louis-sullivans-idea-every-problem-contains-suggests-its-own-solution .
If you did not attend introductory Meetup on Louis Sullivan’s Ideas with Sherri & Shrikant, please watch it as a background for this Meetup here: https://youtu.be/oM8vbQQ-4MU
Get your copy of Sullivan’s Kindergarten Chats here: https://www.amazon.com/Kindergarten-Chats-Other-Writings-Revised/dp/1614275858 .
Breakout Rooms Task:
A] Identify a problem that interests you that you are willing to discuss with others. (Optional)
B] Breakout groups will work on problem posed by each person for 5 minutes jointly using 3 techniques presented:
- Ask “What is it?”
- Ask “What are the limiting conditions of the problem?”
- Ask “Is this a real problem or a figment?”
C] After the breakout room share your takeaways from the experience
“Inasmuch as you will have problems to meet and solve, let me give you this pointer: Every problem contains and suggests its own solution. Don’t waste time looking anywhere else for it. In this mental attitude, in this mood of imderstanding, lies the technical beginning of the art of expression.
I don’t suppose that anyone who succeeds in solving a problem really goes out of it for the solution; and this assumption doubtless also accounts for innumerable failures. And the failures certainly are self-evident: the world is full of debris of this sort.
When we have solved our problem by confining our attention to it, we find the law holds good. And we have had further experience, we become aware that the very nature of limiting conditions suggest to us what must be the nature and the limitations of the solution. Thus a given problem takes on the character of individuality, of identity. And you become aware that your solution must partake of that identity.
If you come across a problem which does not possess identity, you know by such token that the problem is not a problem but a figment.
As the problem becomes more complex it becomes necessary to know all the conditions, to have all the data, and especially to make sure as to the limitations.” — Louis Sullivan
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Welcome to the series "Comprehensivist Wednesdays". Transdisciplinarity, Renaissance humanism, homo universalis, and Polymathy are some of the ways of describing this approach which Buckminster Fuller called Comprehensivity and described as “macro-comprehensive and micro-incisive”.
July 15: Why Be a Comprehensivist? — a Panel Discussion. Watch here: https://youtu.be/qjwTy6pGkNA
July 22: Louis Sullivan’s Ideas: Art of Expression & Form Follows Function with Architect Sherri Tracinski & Shrikant Watch: https://youtu.be/oM8vbQQ-4MU
Jul 29: Humanity's Great Traditions of Inquiry and Action with CJ
Aug 2, Sunday 2:30pm ET: Louis Sullivan’s Idea: Every Problem Contains & Suggests its Own Solution with Sherri Tracinski & Shrikant
Aug 5: Optimize Everything: Interview with mathematician Spencer Greenberg on Psychology, society, technology & science
Aug 12: The Necessities and Impossibilities of being a Comprehensivist
Aug 19: Polymaths in 21st Century with Angela
Aug 26: The Individual and Society: The Arts - Optimizing our Unique and Identical Design with Karen
Sep 2: Neuroscience: Why are our Habits so Powerful? with Sanjay
See the calendar at https://www.meetup.com/52LivingIdeas/events/calendar/
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