Overview

How do inventions take shape? How did the inventors of the sewing needle, the hammer, or the wheel find their ideas? Are these creations the result of random events, or are hidden principles at work? Using everyday objects most of us take for granted--from forks and Velcro to safety pins and doorknobs--noted cognitive psychologist Robert Weber takes a fascinating look at how our world of inventions came into being, and how the mind's problem-solving abilities gave them the forms they have. As an archaeologist studies shards of pottery for clues about an ancient culture, Weber examines the many forms of inventions, from stone knives to genetically engineered mice, and finds a rich record of the work of many minds over time--a record of human creativity and problem-solving handed down through the centuries. He offers various methods for analyzing what mental paths might have been taken by these inventive minds. In the test for design, for example, he ponders how an item would work if various components were shuffled or constructed differently, revealing how the optimal shape of the invention was discovered. He challenges the reader to engage in thought experiments to explore how the horse-drawn cart, the waterscrew, or the fork might have taken shape over many years, through the efforts of successive inventors and adapters. In stripping these simple artifacts to the bone, Weber finds a hidden intelligence at work in everyday objects as well as recurrent heuristics (basic principles or rules of thumb) that are common among many of our most successful inventions--heuristics powerful enough to generate endless new ideas. Weber ranges across the work of Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, the Wright brothers, as well as grade-school children who have won national awards for their inventions, revealing that the same principles are at work in the discoveries of all of them. Basic principles of invention, he writes, govern how we think, solve, and manipulate ideas, whether mechanical or mental, real or mythological. Weber's playful, original, and insightful look at the inventions around us reveals a hidden intelligence in everything from screws to tea bags to synthesizers--an intelligence based on principles of creativity and problem-solving. His fascinating account sheds light on how the mind hones its most original thoughts and products, and provides a field guide for how we can tap into our own creativity.

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9780195064025

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Reviews

'It is difficult to evaluate how well Weber's ideas would work as predictors of future developments, but as explanations of past events, his arguments have a sense of logic and insight. Even if his hindsight is better than his foresight, this is an interesting and entertaining work.' Hilary D. Barton, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Library Journal 'grippingly written book ... Weber ... offers example inventions to make his arguments; this analysis is at times compelling and, because of its specificity, is likely amenable to future mental testing' Psychological Science, Vol. 5, No. 3, May 1994 'The book is enjoyable to read and the examples and methods of analysis used illustrate the points clearly and well.' Steve Allman, Physics Education The major advantage of this book is its use of language. Weber examines discoveries from the layman's point of view, which makes for easy reading. The discussion is also relatively free of technical jargon and complicated discussions of how devices work. In short, Weber's text is both accessible to technophobes and excellent for anyone interested in creative and critical thinking. The section on understanding the created world is fascinating. Using simple methods of analysis, Weber strips everyday objects to the bone, laying bare for all to see why some inventions are shaped, used or made the way they are .. . The book is enjoyable to read and the examples and methods of analysis used illustrate the points clearly and well ... A clear conclusion, and brilliant chapters on heristics and understanding the created world, make the book an enjoyable ... read. Physics Education

"""This book opens numerous Pandora's boxes of ideas for exhibitions and programs. It is a terrific addition to the library."" --The Informal Science Review ""An interesting and entertaining work.""--Library Journal ""Instead of studying the workings of the individual mind, Weber analyzes the mental principles involved in solving problems in the physical world, whether it's jerry-rigging a curtain rod or designing a computer. He's enthralled by the 'hidden intelligence' reflected in all human inventions and wants other people to appreciate this intelligence, too....Weber addresses himself to hardware store habitues, to Sears catalogue devotees, to the person who goes gaga over gadgets.""--Publishers Weekly ""Inventive thinking arguably is the hallmark of the human organism. In this lovely volume, Robert Weber takes us inside invention to reveal logic and systematicity alongside inspiration."" OR ""Robert Weber's fascinating volume demonstrates that invention is not only an art but a craft. It has a logic that one can survey and set forth--with ample room for inspiration too."" OR ""We live in an invented world--shoes, streets, satellites, and all the rest. Robert Weber takes us on a compelling journey through the world of the mind behind this world of invented things, revealing the hidden logic of human ingenuity.""--David Perkins, Harvard University ""Weber's excellent book breaks new ground in the psychological study of creativity. Noteworthy are the brilliant treatment of children's innovation and the process by which the Wright brothers came to invent the airplane. The connection of psychological process to patentable products is at once a contribution to theory and practice.""--Michael Posner, University of Oregon ""The major advantage of this book is its use of language. Weber examines discoveries from the layman's point of view, which makes for easy reading. The discussion is also relatively free of technical jargon and complicated discussions of how devices work....Weber's text is both accessible to technophobes and excellent for anyone interested in creative and critical thinking."" --Educational Leadership ""Grippingly written book....Weber...offers example inventions to make his arguments; this analysis is at times compelling, and because of its specificity, is likely amenable to future experimental testing....Weber demystifies the subject, giving researchers a way to conceptualize and to investigate cognitive mechanisms of creativity, but he does not remove the creativity itself because the research approach retains a role for subjective judgment in recognizing creativity."" --Psychological Science"

First-time author Weber (Psychology/Oklahoma State) on how inventions - from doorknobs to Velcro - come to be. Weber sees invention as the connection between technology and the creative spark or crawl of the mind. Often, this connection is made by parsing - dividing an invention into its parts or procedures. Thus, the Wright Brothers achieved motorized flight by parsing their goal into problems of lift, power, and control, and addressing each in turn, while rival aeronauts with greater financial resources failed through inadequate analysis. Weber gives lessons on how to describe, compare, and evaluate inventions: An elaborate chart detailing differences between nail and screws is typical and may lead some to wonder whether the writer is belaboring the obvious. Fledgling inventors may be more enthusiastic over Webers discussion of heuristics, a rule of thumb for generating ideas or for solving problems. Heuristics range from repetition ( once an interesting component is discovered...try copying or repeating it as often as necessary ) to linkage ( try joining those tools or devices that undo the actions of one another. These are often useful combinations ) or transformation (how did the tooth evolve into the saw?). Upon this rather abstract loom, Weber weaves the story of dozens of devices, from forks to coffeepots to screws. He dotes on handles and containers (the latter involved in everything from tea bags to cooking pots). Invention is more than objects, as he shows by parsing a supermarket into the various shopping procedures that make it tick. A final chapter, on gene splicing between different species, draws some doubtful parallels between ancient mythology and modern gene splicing, and is notable for failing to address the moral issues involved. Covers some of the same ground as Henry Petroski's The Evolution of Useful Things (p. 1297), with less flair but more hands-on advice. (Kirkus Reviews)

Author Information

About the Author: Robert J. Weber is Professor of Psychology at Oklahoma State University. He is the coeditor with David Perkins of Inventive Minds: Creativity in Technology.

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