Louis H. Sullivan Thought Summary

Louis H. Sullivan, the author of “Thought,” was an amazingly creative architect, and from his writing, it is evident that he was also a great thinker and philosopher. In the article, Sullivan discusses creative thought and ways of improving it. He believes that “real thinking is better done without words than with them, and creative thinking must absolutely be done without words.” He goes on to state that words are best used only for communication and explanation, and they slow down the creative thinker. He writes that the creative thinker sees in images and that words have no place in that kind of visualization. He likewise does not believe that reading is a creative process because the reader is not thinking for himself but rather internalizing
Most of my thinking is done through that laborious process of searching for words to describe the images I see. The way I learn best is that I am an auditory learner. I need to hear the words over and over again to be able to process the information. While it is certainly not the easiest process, it is necessary if I am to produce something tangible. I find myself asking and answering my own questions as I read or plan. One of the ways that I find myself asking and answering my own questions is when I organize my thoughts for a creative task. Everyone is different so there are different methods for creating images in the mind and for viewing these images. The image people see in their mind will not be able to be described without using words. I must use words to make my creative thinking real and finish the
A very real problem would be whether many people have the ability to think on this level. It seems like a very lonely, isolated existence. Words bring human emotions, color, and life to the speaker and to the listener. For example, the way a lot of art is produced is with color, which displays an emotion that brings passion, and brings life to a work of art, but to be able to describe a work of art people need to use words to describe what image they are seeing. One of the most well-known paintings is The Scream by Edvard Munch. This painting illustrates life, emotion, and color that the painting brings to life. People are able to describe their thoughts and express the words of the image through art. Thoughts one can be made public or kept in private, that is the individual’s choice. Without words, the passion of the creator is often lost on those that view it. While creating something as amazing as a building or programming a computer, it seems that words give the project reality and give the creator a chance to see his work through the eyes and ears of others. Words are necessary to refine and correct mistakes which the creator visualized during the process. It would seem that producing something real would be made easier if revisions were made ahead of time. The only way for improvements or revisions to be made is through communication with other