(no subject)

[watertank]

There are many classic examples of inspirations and problem solutions that happened only when the would-be creator gives in to just plain not knowing what to do. Interestingly, one of Freud’s early methodological discoveries that led to much of his theorizing was that it was when patients finally ran out of free associations on a topic and went blank, that was the point when, if they stayed with the blank, insights into their situation could occur.

Rosch, E. (in press). Beginner's mind: Paths to the wisdom that is not learned. In Ferrari, M. & Potworowski, G. (Eds.). Teaching for Wisdom, Hillsdale NJ: Erlbaum.
http://psychology.berkeley.edu/faculty/profiles/erosch2006.pdf

force participants to run out of problems/solutions.