by X | @rali2100 - Linkedin|R Ali
Created: 2023-12-18
I recently learned about a conference that explores dangerous ideas for general practice. This initiative aims to challenge the status quo and encourage participants to propose unconventional solutions that could revolutionize general practice. Dangerous ideas, with their significant element of risk, can enable us to think creatively by shifting modes and perspectives. This is because they force our brains to think outside the box. In his book Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow, Daniel Kahneman suggests that our fast-thinking intuitive brains pose risks and pitfalls. To overcome these, we need to slow this down and use System 2 thinking, which is more analytical. Dangerous ideas work similarly by forcing us to think outside the box and challenge our assumptions.
Google's moonshot projects are excellent examples of longshot thinking involving asking "what if" questions. These questions can help us to shift our modes and perspectives, exploring possibilities that we might not have considered otherwise. Additionally, dangerous ideas are closely aligned with bad ideas. Thinking about bad ideas can help us identify potential flaws and make better design decisions.
To incorporate dangerous ideas into our design process, we can start by identifying elements of our project and then using them to promote dangerous ideas. For example, instead of assuming that we have limited time, we can imagine what it would be like to have unlimited time. This can lead to new and innovative solutions.
Google's secretive research and development facility, X, also known as the moonshot factory, is dedicated to exploring groundbreaking ideas that aim to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges. These ambitious projects, often dubbed "moonshots," seek to achieve radical breakthroughs that could revolutionize industries and improve the lives of millions. X employs a unique approach that combines cross-disciplinary collaboration, fearless experimentation, and a relentless pursuit of innovation to bring these ambitious ideas to life. While some moonshots may fail, the potential for success and transformative impact drives X's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
''We create radical new technologies to solve some of the world’s hardest problems''
''Our goal: 10x impact on the world’s most intractable problems, not just 10% improvement.''
Here is one of their questions:
What if you could read a plant like you read a book?
X, the moonshot factory. (2020). X, the moonshot factory. [online] Available at: https://x.company/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
Amazon.co.uk. (2023). Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman by Kahneman, Daniel. [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576 [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
SAPC. (2016). Dangerous Ideas. [online] Available at: https://sapc.ac.uk/tags/dangerous-ideas [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].