The type of thinking to be used in the thinking clubs is very much the type of thinking that I have outlined in this book. It has the following features:

It is concerned with wisdom more than with cleverness. The flavour is more that of robust commonsense rather than intellectual nit picking.

Effectiveness is an important aspect, and this is reflected in the concept of 'operacy' which involves the thinking that is required to get things done. It is the opposite of ineffectual thinking.

It is definitely not the type of thinking used to prove yourself right and the other person wrong. The thinking club is not place for argument and prejudice and defending your point of view. It is a place for open exploration of a subject and honest assessment. The thinking club is for people who want to use thinking in an exploratory way - not for those who want a place to show how right they are or how bright they are. This point will need emphasizing from time to time.

The emphasis is on perception - on how we look at things. It is not on complicated processing in the form of mathematics or other procedures.

The thinking is to be neutral and objective. The thinking clubs are not there to promote any political or religious point of view.

The thinking is to be positive and constructive. The negative has a place in thinking, but it is an inferior place to the positive and the constructive. In the thinking clubs, proving other people to be foolish does not have the high esteem it may carry elsewhere.

Humour should play an important role. There is no reason at all why thinking should be solemn and humourless. Even if a serious subject is being discussed the thinking need not be heavy.

Clarity and simplicity are important. Thoughts should be expressed in as clear as manner as possible. Being complicated for the sake of being complicated is to be condemned.

Arrogance is the major sin.

Above all the thinking clubs are there for the exercise and enjoyment of the skill of thinking. This means looking at that skill objectively and detaching it from one's ego.

Throughout there are two types of thinking. Firstly, there is the thinking about the subject itself. Secondly, there is the thinking about how we are thinking about the subject (values, prejudices, getting blocked, lack of ideas etc.). This ability to look at one's thinking is exactly like the ability of a golfer or skier to look at how he is performing in order to improve his skill.