me n sa i nte r n at i o n a l jo u r n a l

december 2011 issue number 555

from the Director of Administration...

tions and other interactive sessions. International appointments for roles and committees due this year will also be decided, as well as the location in Europe for the 2012 meeting. For more information about the meeting, check out the Governance documents section on the internaAs I write, the meeting in Sofia is less tional website at www.mensa.org than two weeks away and I am look- where you will find Agendas and ing forward to meeting many old and Minutes of this and previous IBD new friends. Representatives from 27 meetings, and appointments made (site requires registration). Full National Mensa groups will be sitting around the table, including the The 65th anniversary of Mensa on latest country to gain FNM status, Mensa Japan. Many congratulations 1st October was marked by groups from around the world. They organfor this achievement, which is only ised a range of events, testing sessions gained through the hard work and and parties, helping members and effort of their volunteers. the public alike to Each year, an invitation to attend underthe IBD meeting is extended to the stand chairman of at least one provisional more or emerging national Mensa group. This year, the IBD will be welcoming about Mensa, representatives from Mensa China and Mensa Turkey. We know that the IQ and opportunity to meet other chairmen intelligence iswho have taken their own groups to Full National Mensa status is highly sues. Well done to all valued. Both these new groups have involved been making great progress and we hope you had a great time. look forward to seeing them gain their own seats at the IBD table before too long.

2011 marks not only the 65th anniversary of Mensa, but the 20th anniversary of Mensa Bulgaria, so the country is a f itting location for this years meeting of the International Board of Directors.

time, a conference of national SIGHT Coordinators is being held in parallel with the IBD meeting, the idea of its organiser Bob Kaill, SIGHT coordinator for Mensa Sweden. There are 16 delegates booked including Mensa International SIGHT Coordinator, Richard Kingston and national SIGHT coordinators from Australia, UK and USA. Although the conference is stand-alone, the group will be presenting their ideas to the IBD in Sofia and we look forward to hearing them. In September, I attended the annual gathering of British Mensa, where I was delighted to meet Jake Wright (pictured left), the longest serving member of Mensa. Now aged 89, Jake joined the fledgling society in February 1948 and he has been a member ever since. Finally, many congratulations to Mensa Greece, which has been recognised as a Provisional National Mensa, step two on the road to Full National Mensa status.

SIGHT is not a Special Interest Group - the acronym stands for Service for Information, Guidance, and Happy birthday Mensa - heres to the As Director of Administration, the IBD meeting is a busy time for me as Hospitality to Travellers but it is a next 65 years! member to member service that helps well as for the Mensa International connect Mensans to other Mensans Sylvia Herbert office. The meeting covers formal admin-mil@mensa.org business topics, workshops, presenta- as they travel the world. For the first
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me n sa i nte r n at i o n a l jo u r n a l Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking:

The word logic comes from the Classical Greek word logos which can be translated as sentence. In the New Testament it is translated as The Word and means God. Other translations of logos include discourse, reason, ratio, and rule. Critical thinking is, even in its very earliest form, considered cerned with the principles of correct reasoning. In this essay, Thomas as being informal logic, and both formal logic and critical thinking are con-

important aspects of critical thinking, comparing it with its dysgenic or fraternal twin, creative thinking. critical thinker analyzes as he or she strives to identify the importance of context in an argument or any exposition of facts or assumptions, and, more often than not, presumptions. He then imagines alternatives and explores them. This intellectual practice of analysis, synthesis and new re-creation leads to reflective skepticism, exposition, action, and the construction of intellectual concepts or concrete realities. So, what is the definition of critical thinking? There has been a great deal of input from both philosophers and cognitive psychologists in the process of formulating a definition of critical thinking. There are many definitions out there; among them: [Critical thinking...] is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, synthesizing and/or evaluating experience reflecting, reasoning or communication as a guide to belief and action (Huitt. W, 1998). Critical thinking is the disciplined activity of evaluating arguments or propositions and making judgments that can guide the development of beliefs and taking action (ibid). The above short, sweet and barelycompound sentences encompass

Hally concentrates on some of the

the subject matter and point out the march and compass of the process of critical thinking. Critical thinking is a necessary tool of inquiry into ones personal life, and it is an essential liberating force in education. Critical thinking skills help us express the meaning and the significance of a wide variety of human experiences. In order to continue to live our lives well, we must confront our problems with courage and we must analyze, evaluate, deduce, infer, and, finally, explain, stating the results of our reasoning with its justification in terms of evidence and the concepts (The Problem) and the methods, the criteria, and the foundation or base from which the results of our critical thinking activities stem. We, as critical thinkers, presented our reasoned explanation in the form of a cogent argument. We deduced and inferred relationships, examined statements and their validities and/or each ones credibility; and we came to conclusions. We critiqued and presented rebuttals and formed new arguments. We are involved in the process and this is critical thinking in action. It is continuous. However, fine-tuned critical thinking skills are unattain-

Essentially, critical thinking analyzes, evaluates and explains ideas, while creative thinking strives for an expansion of ideas without necessarily regarding their validity, soundness or appropriateness of content. When we compare critical thinking with creative thinking we just might see the two realities as diametrically opposed. We must therefore use our own creative abilities to juxtapose these two systems of thought or thought processes in order to compare them. So, prepare yourself for a fantastic journey through your own realm of creative thought as you read through this essay. Both critical thinking and creativity are enjoyable, productive and positive activities. And they are both emotive as well as rational, varying according to the contextual presentation and/or contents within which each moves or is triggered. Whether it is a negative event that incites action or a positive catalyst makes little difference in regard to thoughtful activity and production. The critical thinker will be Johnny on the spot to analyze and synthesize; postulate, explain and propose. Central to critical thinking is the identification and challenging of assumptions. The good
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me n sa i nte r n at i o n a l jo u r n a l
able without practice and an in-depth understanding of an argument and a broad knowledge base. We have the wherewithal to explain our reasoning in a detailed, step-by-step (or pointby-point) manner. It is just a matter of finding the opportunity and taking action before we are ourselves become avatars of correct reasoning and creative thinking. right (creative; sentient) hemisphere joins forces with the left (logical; orderly) hemisphere. The union of the divergent with the convergent is the cooperative unity of the cerebral hemispheres resulting in whole brain output moving under the same umbrella - resulting in the creation of, perhaps, something beautiful and/or useful or, Critical thinking is an important if we are unlucky, attribute for success in the twenty-first perhaps not! A century! bona fide masterpiece may be Creative individuals are highly intel- born or another ligent. However, although creativity is piece of dime inextricably tied to high intelligence, store junk may it is also something different from in- enter into and telligence: creativity is often defined clutter our lives. as a parallel construct to intelligence, Creative thinking is generally but it differs from intelligence in that concerned with the creation or generit is not restricted to cognitive or ation of ideas, processes, experiences intellectual reasoning or behavior. and objects, or the explanation and Instead, it is concerned with the expansion of these. The ideal critical complex mix of motives, condithinker analyzes, synthesizes, evalutions, personality factors, and even ates, suggests and, finally, explains products. And, creativity is different and proposes. Critical thinking and from innovation as well. Innovacreative thinking complement each tion is convergent thought, bringother. ing familiar ideas back into peoples The ideal critical thinker is inexperience, while creativity is essensightful, inquisitive, knowledgeable, tially a divergent-thinking activity, at rational, unbiased, fair in evaluation; times expanding well beyond current clear-thinking, honest and is generthought and concepts. Creativity can ally considered a good citizen. He be thought of as an aspect of innova- or she offers us the results of their tion since its goal is invention and thinking (evaluation) in a package or exploration. But the goal of innovapresentation that is as precise as the tion is transformation and implequeried and challenged subject and mentation while creativity makes no the circumstance permits. Good such claims. critical thinkers educate themselves We can look at this aspect of and work toward this ideal. Critiinnovation as being a metaphor of cal thinkers are the foundation of the corpus callosum in the brain, rational and democratic societies. An the connecting tunnel between ideal creative thinker is the primum the two cerebral hemispheres: the mobile of societal change and admensa international journal december 2011

vancement and, like his left-brained counterpart, is also a highly valued member of society. His or her fantastic or revolutionary ideas are the perfect complement to the staid and stable critical thinkers. Both excellent critical thinkers and highly creative people tend to be whole-brained thinkers. The creative thinker is, undoubtedly, the genius of the pair whether he be a poet, a novelist, a scientist or a mathematician. Creative thinkers look at problems from various angles. They paint, write, play and express their thoughts in many variegated ways for all of us to see and evaluate. They talk to us and they produce many ideas, combining them and mixing and matching. Many creative thinkers - and all creative geniuses - see relationships where the great majority sees none. Ideal creative thinkers manipulate thoughts that are the opposite of each other. They mould, write, manipulate, calculate, and paint them so they become useful concepts, ideas, theories and/or products and viable realities for us all. Whether they begin as left-brain thinkers or right-brain thinkers, creative-critical thinkers and geniuses are metaphorical and adventurous - and they have a tendency to be lucky! (Thomas Hally can be contacted on tjh@thomas-hally.com for queries and comments - KN)

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Log into the International website at www.mensa.org for the calendar of national events
MYNY 2011 (San Sebastin - Spain)
Following the tradition, the MY-NY event (Mensa Youth New Years Event), as a part of the MY-SIG activities, will be organized so as to celebrate this festivity in harmony and share great activities together. This time, the chosen city is San Sebastin, one of the most spectacular and attractive cities in Spain. The event will take place in Ulia Youth Hostel, a charming place which permits group activities and can be reached easily from the city area. More info: www.mynysansebastian.com Facebook event: MYNY 2011-2012 Spain Facebook group: MY-SIG

December 28th to January 2nd

San Sebastian Cathedral

officer directory
Chair: Mr Willem Bouwens Trompenburgstraat 6-G, 1079 TX Amsterdam The Netherlands chairman-mil@mensa.org Tel: +31 (0)20 661 2718 Director Admin: Ms Sylvia Herbert 16 Farley St, St Johns, Worcester, Worcestershire WR2 6JD England admin-mil@mensa.org Tel: +44(0)1905 422231 Director Development: Ms Bibiana Balanyi Mensa HungarIQa, H-1426 Budapest 72, Postafiok 99 Hungary development-mil@mensa.org Tel: +36 209 135175 Treasurer: Cyndi Kuyper 2606 Henderson St, West Lafayette, IN 47906-1537 Tel: +1 765 463 1393 Cell Phone: +1 765 714 2272 treasurer-mil@mensa.org Dir. Smaller National Mensas: Mr Bjrn Liljeqvist Knektvgen 1, 196 30 Kungsngen, Sweden +46 (0) 730 394199 Hon. President: Dr Abbie Salny 407 Breckenridge, Wayne NJ 07470 USA Tel: +1 973 305 0055 SIGHTCoordinator: Mr Richard Kingston SIGHT@mensa.org Int. SIG Coordinator: Mr Markus Schauler sigs@mensa.org Ombudsman:Mr Martyn Davies ombudsman@mensa.org Executive Director: Mr Michael Feenan, Slate Barn, Church Lane, Caythorpe, Lincolnshire NG32 3EL, UK Tel/Fax+44(0)1400272 675 mensainternational@mensa.org Editorial Staff Editor: Ms Kate Nacard 407/23 Corunna Rd, Stanmore NSW 2048 Australia ijeditor@mensa.org Tel: +61 2 9516 1024 Science: Mr John Blinke, Johnb44221@cs.com Books: Mr Tom Elliott, tme01@verizon.net Feature Articles: Mr Thomas Hally, tjh@thomas-hally.com
The Mensa International Journal (MIJ) is produced under the auspices of the Mensa International Board of Directors. Pages 1-4 of each issue of the MIJ must be published in every national Mensa magazine. Publication of pages 5-8 is recommended but optional. Opinions expressed in the MIJ are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other individual or any official Mensa body. Submission Guidelines: Language: English only. Text: MS Word (Windows), .rtf (Word/Mac), plain text, PageMaker (Windows) Length: 500 word limit. Send by e-mail, fax, snail mail to the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to include or edit submissions for space and content considerations. All unoriginal submissions must be accompanied by written permission for publication from the original author.Permission is granted for MIJ articles to be reprinted in any Mensa publication provided that the author, MIJ and MIJs editor are acknowledged. Permission must be sought from the MIJ editor for reprinting of any part of the MIJ in non-Mensa publications. mensa international journal december 2011

skype: bjorn.liljeqvist dsnm-mil@mensa.org

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