TOD 01.15.08

There are essentially three different elements to thinking: knowledge (what you know), focus (what you think about), and wisdom (how you think). If any of these three are missing, the process will not produce the best results. Similarly, since there are three main aspects of thinking, there are three main kinds of disagreements.

Disputes may arise over the essential facts of the question because some parties may be ignorant or misled. Disputes may arise over the correct solution because people may not all be equally competent at interpreting information according to sound principles. And disputes may also arise over the significance of the issue itself because knowing the difference between the vain and the significant is one of the most challenging skills of all.

So how does all this matter? First, like any skill in development, finding the exact source of the problem aids in correcting it. Second, if the point of disagreement can be isolated to just one area, you have now discovered two areas of agreement on which to build common ground.