Humanity originates several thousand years ago. And throughout all this time it has been developing tirelessly. There were always many reasons for this, but without human ingenuity this simply would not have been possible. The trial and error method has been and is currently one of the main ones.
Method Description
Clearly recorded in historical documents, the application of this method is not enough. But, despite this, he deserves special attention.
The trial and error method is a method in which the solution of the problem is achieved by selecting options until the result is correct (for example, in mathematics) or acceptable (when inventing new methods in science).
Humanity has always used this method. Around a century ago, psychologists tried to find common ground between people who used this method of cognition. And they succeeded. A person who is looking for an answer to the task is forced to select options, set up experiments and look at the result. This continues until insight on the subject comes. The experimenter is entering a new stage of thinking in this matter.
Method in world history
One of the most famous people who used this method was Edison. Everyone knows his story of the invention of the light bulb. He experimented until it worked out. But Edison perfected this method. When searching for a solution, he shared the tasks between the people who worked for him. Accordingly, material on the topic turned out much more than when working with one person. And based on the data obtained, the trial and error method was a great success in Edison's work. Thanks to this person, research institutes appeared that apply this method as well.
Degree of difficulty
This method has several difficulty levels. They were so divided for better assimilation. The task of the first level is considered easy, and it takes a little effort to find its solution. But she has not so many answers. As the degree of difficulty increases, so does the complexity of the task. The trial and error method of grade 5 is the most difficult and time consuming.
It must be borne in mind that with an increase in the level of complexity, the amount of knowledge that a person possesses also grows. To better understand what is at stake, consider the technique. The first and second levels allow inventors to improve it. At the last stage of complexity, a completely new product is created.
For example, a case is known when young people took the difficult task from air navigation as the topic of their thesis. Students did not have the same knowledge as many scientists who worked in this field, but thanks to the wide range of knowledge of the children, they managed to find the answer. And moreover, the solution area turned out to be in the most confectionery business from science. It would seem that this is impossible, but it is a fact. Young people were even given a copyright certificate for their invention.
Method Advantages
The first advantage can rightly be considered a creative approach. Tasks by trial and error solved allow you to use both hemispheres of the brain to search for an answer.
It is worth giving an example of how boats were built. Excavations show how, over the centuries, part after part changed shape. Researchers constantly tried something new. If the boat was sinking, then this form was crossed out, if it remained to stay on the water, then we took note of this. Thus, in the end, a compromise solution was found.
If the task is not too complicated, then this method takes a little time. Some problems that may arise may have ten options, one or two of which will be correct. But if we consider, for example, robotics, then in this case, without the use of other methods, research can drag on for decades and bring millions of options.
Dividing tasks into several levels makes it possible to evaluate how fast and possible the search for a solution seems. This reduces the time to make a decision. And for complex tasks, you can use the trial and error method in parallel with others.
Disadvantages of the method
With the development of technology and science, this method began to lose its popularity.
In some areas, it is simply irrational to create thousands of patterns to change one element at a time. Therefore, they often now use other methods based on specific knowledge. For this, the nature of things, the interaction of elements with each other, began to be studied. Mathematical calculations, scientific justifications, experiments and past experience began to be used.
The trial and error method is still perfectly used in creativity. But building a car in this way already seems silly and irrelevant. Therefore, now, at the current level of development of civilization, it is necessary to use other methods for the most part in the exact sciences.
Often with the method under consideration, a task can describe many completely insignificant things and not take into account a priori important things. For example, the inventor of penicillin (an antibiotic) claimed that with the right approach, a medicine could be invented twenty years earlier. This would help to save a huge number of lives.
For complex tasks, there are often situations when the question itself lies in one area of knowledge, and its solution is completely different.
The researcher is not always sure that the answer will be found at all.
Author of trial and error
Who specifically invented this method of knowledge, we will never know. More precisely, we know that this was clearly an inventive person, who, most likely, was guided by a desire to improve his life.
In ancient times, people were quite limited in many things. Everything was invented precisely by this method. Then there was still no fundamental knowledge in the fields of physics, mathematics, chemistry and other important sciences. Therefore, I had to act at random. That’s how they got fire to protect themselves from predators, cook food and heat the home. Weapons to get food, boats - to move along the rivers. Everything was invented when a person encountered difficulty. But each time the problem being solved led to a better quality of life.
It is known that many scientists used this method in their writings.
However, it is the description of the method and the active use that we observe with the physiologist Thorndike at the end of the nineteenth century.
Thorndike Research
An example of trial and error can be considered in the scientific works of a physiologist. He set up various behavioral experiments with animals, placing them in special boxes.
One of the experiments looked approximately as follows. A cat placed in a box is looking for a way out. The box itself can have 1 opening option: you had to press the spring - and the door swung open. The animal used many actions (the so-called samples), and most of them were unsuccessful. The cat remained in the box. But after a certain set of options, the animal managed to press the spring and get out of the box. Thus, the cat, falling into the box, over time remembered the development of events. And got out of the box in a shorter time.
Thorndike proved that the method is valid, and although the result is not linear, but over time, when repeating similar actions, the decision comes almost instantly.
Problem solving by trial and error
There are a great many examples of this method, but it is worth mentioning one very interesting one.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a famous designer of engines for aviation Mikulin. At that time, there was a huge number of plane crashes due to magneto, that is, the ignition spark disappeared after some time of flight. There was a lot of experimentation and reflection on the cause, but the answer came in a completely unexpected situation.
Alexander Alexandrovich met a man with a black eye on the street. At that moment, an insight came to him that a person without one eye sees much worse. He shared this observation with aviator Utochkin. When a second magneto was installed in the aircraft, the number of air crashes decreased significantly. And Utochkin for some time paid cash rewards after each demonstration flight to Mikulin.
Application of the method in mathematics
Quite often, the trial and error method in mathematics is used in schools as a way to develop logical thinking and test the speed of finding options. This allows you to diversify the learning process and introduce game elements.
You can often find tasks in school textbooks with the wording "solve the equation by trial and error." In this case, it is necessary to select the answer options. When the correct answer is found, it is simply proved practically, that is, the necessary calculations are carried out. In the end, we make sure that this is the only correct answer.
Practical example
The trial and error method in mathematics of grade 5 (in recent editions) often appears. We give an example.
It is necessary to name what sides the rectangle can have. Provided that the area (S) = 32 cm and the perimeter (P) = 24 cm.
The solution to this problem: suppose that the length of one side is 4. Therefore, the length of one more side is the same.
We get the following equation:
24 - 4 - 4 = 16
16 divided by 2 = 8
8 cm is the width.
We check by the area formula. S = A * B = 8 * 4 = 32 centimeters. As we see, the decision is right. You can also calculate the perimeter. According to the formula, the following calculation is obtained: P = 2 * (A + B) = 2 * (4 + 8) = 24.
In mathematics, trial and error is not always perfect for finding solutions. Often, you can use more suitable methods, with less time spent. But for the development of thinking, this method is in the arsenal of every teacher.
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
In TRIZ, trial and error is considered one of the most inefficient. When a person finds himself in an unusual difficult situation for him, then random actions are likely to be futile. You can spend a lot of time and as a result not succeed. The theory of solving inventive problems is based on already known laws, and other methods of cognition are usually used. TRIZ is often used in raising children, making this process interesting and exciting for the child.
conclusions
Having considered this method, we can confidently say that it is quite interesting. Despite its shortcomings, it is often used in creative tasks.
However, it is not always possible to achieve the desired result. A researcher never knows when it’s worth stopping the search, or maybe it’s worth making a couple more efforts and an ingenious invention will be born. It is also unclear how much time will be spent.
If you decide to use this method to solve a problem, you should understand that the answer can sometimes be in a completely unexpected area. But this allows you to look at the search from different points of view. You may have to sketch a few dozen variations, or maybe thousands. But only perseverance and faith in success will lead to the desired result.
Sometimes this method is used as an extra. For example, at the initial stage to narrow the search. Or when the study was conducted in many ways and came to a standstill. In this case, the creative component of the method will allow you to find a compromise solution to the problem.
The trial and error method is often used in educational activities. It allows children to first-hand find solutions in various life situations. This teaches them to remember the right types of behavior that are accepted in society.
Artists use this method to search for inspiration.
The method is worth trying in everyday life when solving problems. Perhaps some things will appear to you differently.