The Adventures of
SHERLOCK HOLMES
By
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock
Holmes' Principles of Inductive
Problem
Solution
COMPILED BY
IKE SWEESY
from
The
Complete Sherlock Holmes Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorset Press, Doubleday
& Co., Inc. Garden City, NY
1988.
The
basis of Sherlock Holmes' success is his "habit of observation and
inference which [he] had already formed into a system."
OBSERVATION and INFERENCE
- the practice of investigating a problem by observing every small detail then
making educated inferences as to cause. It
is reverse cause and effect (pg 895). Doyle
specifies the system in at least three places in his adventures; the one quoted
above on pg. 375 and also pp.23 and 204. While
observation and inference are the two pillars of Holmes' problem solution
edifice, some foundation stones that they stand upon must be first established.
1.
DEVELOP AND TRAIN YOUR MEMORY FOR PRINCIPLES, DETAILS AND PEOPLE.
pg. 17,176,177,435,484,1094.
2.
DON'T BURDEN YOUR MIND WITH SMALL, UNIMPORTANT MATTERS. pg. 21. Einstein
thought this too. (research disputes the idea of wasting space in your mind)
3.
HAVE REGULAR HABITS TO TRAIN AND DISCIPLINE YOUR MIND.
Especially be an early riser. Doyle
was not consistent here in describing Holmes.
Sometimes he was praised for regular habits and sometimes derided for
irregular ones. pg. 20,382,426
4.
KNOW YOUR OWN FAULTS AND LIMITATIONS. pg. 19 (see also Sun Tzu, "The
Art of War")
5.
HAVE WIDE RANGING STUDIES THAT
GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE AND BREADTH OF UNDERSTANDING TO CORRELATE FACTS.
Holmes had amassed a wide range of out-of-the-way
knowledge. pp. 16,91,126,134,*225,
6.
BE WELL READ IN RELEVANT HISTORICAL STUDIES.
Whatever your area of interest, be well read to give you easy familiarity
with historical examples. pp.
29,176,294,777,807.
7.
BE IMAGINATIVE, CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE.
Think "outside the lines". pg. 344.
8.
HELP OTHERS, AND THEY WILL HELP YOU. Holmes
had quite a collection of people who were very willing to help him because he
had helped them. pp. 106,117.
THE METHOD
9.
STATE THE PROBLEM CLEARLY
(or define the outcome).
Without a clear understanding and statement of the problem, you will
not know what you are after, nor how to proceed with the investigation.
pg. 236.
10.
DELINEATE BOUNDARIES OF INVESTIGATION TO THAT WHICH IS RELEVANT. pg. 546.
(however, S.H. assumed every detail was relevant until eliminated)(also,‘think
outside the lines’, see #11)
11.
NO PRECONCEIVED SOLUTIONS OR
ANSWERS WITH INCOMPLETE DATA. This
is very tempting to do since we just can't wait to find a solution.
Nevertheless, Holmes tells us to never guess, it is destructive to
logic. You will tend to see data in
light of your theory and you may even twist the data unconsciously. In addition,
emotions will cloud your reasoning. pp. 27,84,93,*96,*322,163,407,
615,642,*657,779,789,876,895,1030,1039. cp.
1038 (see #10)
12.
OBSERVATION
OF DETAIL. This was second
nature to Sherlock Holmes and usually ignored by most of the human race.
He had a naturally quick mind, but he commented that "I
see no more than you, but I have trained myself to notice what I see."
The key points are training (hard work) and actually paying attention to
what you see. Two aspects of this
are:
a. Observation of details while they happen which takes diligent
training. This is paying attention to your surroundings.
pp.312,317,424
b. Observation of details of
what has already happened and left indications of its passage.
For instance, taking the time to look for footprints or ashes.
Holmes was a master of investigating the scene minutely for details.
pp. 24,126,131,*162,191,196,214,238,509,519,987,1000.
13.
FIRST HAND EXAMINATION OF THE
SUBJECTS OR LOCATION. (Touch
it, Handle it!!) This is a corollary of 12. but expresses the valuable point
of not relying upon what others have discovered or said about something or
someone. "Measuring,
comparing, examining."
pp. 32,*112,176,*803,873,1114.
14.
SYSTEMATIC AND ACCURATE
EXAMINATION OF ALL DETAILS, HOWEVER SMALL.
"Never trust general impressions, but concentrate upon
details." Pg. 23,93,131,194,*261,1072,1091.
15.
IDENTIFY WHAT YOU KNOW AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT.
pp. 549,960.
16.
BE ABLE TO DISCERN THE INCIDENTAL FROM THE VITAL FACTS. pp.
335,407,415,549.
17.
INFERENCE FROM OBSERVED DETAILS.
REASON BACKWARDS FROM EFFECT TO CAUSE.
pp. 83,167,246,895.
18.
DEVELOP THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION. Listening
with attention and concentration without distraction are learned skills. pg.
193,211,259.
19.
EXPECT THE TRUTH BUT INTERPRET IT. Assume
what is said is true, then find out what it is true of.
This is a very important principle. Most
people will tell the truth as they see it from their mental and
observational perspective. Understand
the individual to get at the truth. pg.
207,213.
20.
SEPARATE THE FACTS FROM THE
THEORIES, SURMISES, GUESSES. This
is similar to #11 but others may have already begun guessing and you must ignore
everything but the facts.
pg. 335.
21.
FIND THE LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE TO BEGIN EVERY INVESTIGATION.
A common thread of meaning. An
orderly, chronological arrangement. pg.
391,392,485.
22.
DILIGENCE AND TIRELESSNESS IN INVESTIGATION.
One gets tired with puzzling and difficult problems but diligence yields
fruit. pp.
31,119,548,643,1091.
23.
THE BIZARRE IS THE EASIEST, THE COMMONPLACE ‑ THE MOST DIFFICULT.
pp. 50,83,183,191,1108.
24.
DON'T OVERLOOK THE SIMPLE FOR THE COMPLEX.
Many times the simple explanation is the best.
pg. 136.
25.
ALWAYS LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATIVE
EXPLANATION AND PROVIDE FOR IT. Test
every explanation. pp.
402,567,570.
26.
DON'T IGNORE THE POSSIBILITY OF COINCIDENCES.
pg. 628,1012.
27.
PUT YOURSELF IN THE OTHER'S PLACE AND IMAGINE WHAT HE WOULD DO.
pp. 395,1121.
28.
REARRANGE THE FACTS AND DETAILS,
LOOK FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW. pg. 120,240. (see also Rudolf Flesch, "The Art of Clear
Thinking" )
29.
USE
GRAPHIC MEANS TO VISUALIZE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES; MAPS, DRAWINGS,
DIAGRAMS, LISTS, CHRONOLOGIES, etc. pp. 451,545,610,925 (see also "Apollo
13").
30.
DISCUSS THE DETAILS WITH ANOTHER
PERSON.
31.
WHEN STYMIED, FRUSTRATED OR DEPRESSED, DO
SOMETHING PHYSICALLY STRENUOUS or MENTALLY ABSORBING and/or COMPLETELY UNRELATED.
DETACH YOURSELF FROM THE PROBLEM. pp.
135,198,*929,955,984.
32.
ACCOUNT FOR EVERY POINT OR YOUR THEORY IS NOT SATISFACTORY.
"An exception disproves the rule."
pg. 96,120,323,359,568.
33.
ELIMINATE ALL OTHER FACTORS OR POSSIBILITIES AND THE ONE WHICH REMAINS
MUST BE THE TRUTH, HOWEVER UNLIKELY.
QUESTIONS:
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
How
much?
How
many?
What
kind of?
From
which direction?
*by Ike Sweesy, Ike@Company-V.Com. www.Company-V.Com, www.FighterPilots.Net,
See also some good quotes of Sherlock Holmes' as compiled by Jock McTavish demonstrating many of these Principles of Sherlock Holmes:
