“In creating the world, God used arithmetic, geometry,
and likewise astronomy.” – Nicholas of Cusa (click here for
article)
Most of the literature on innovation concerns fostering better solutions to existing problems. Many innovators in the sciences and engineering argue, however, that problem generation is far more critical to innovation than problem solution, involving not just a thorough grasp of what is known (epistemology), but of what is not known (nepistemology). The proper definition of a problem gets an innovator more than half way to its solution; poorly posed questions divert energy, resources, and ideas. This chapter explores how problem definition and evaluation act as catalysts for insight and examines strategies used by successful innovators to generate productive problems.
Robert Root-Bernstein. “Problem Generation and Innovation” in Shavinina, Larisa V. ed. International Handbook on Innovation Elsevier Science Ltd. 2003
