Recommended Readings¶

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Essential readings for developing scientific problem-solving skills

Required Course Books¶

Primary Texts¶

James L. Adams - Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas, 5^th edition

Online, 3^rd Edition: A consulting engineer's practical approach to overcoming mental barriers to creative problem-solving. This book forms the foundation for understanding the four types of creative blocks: perceptual, emotional, cultural, and intellectual.

Robert Ehrlich - Nine Crazy Ideas in Science: A Few Might Even Be True

JSTOR link: A physicist's exploration of unconventional scientific ideas and the process of evaluating extraordinary claims. Demonstrates how to maintain scientific skepticism while remaining open to revolutionary possibilities.

Additional Core Reading¶

Horace Freeland Judson - The Search for Solutions

Amazon: A historian's perspective on how scientific discoveries actually happen, with detailed case studies of breakthrough moments in various fields. Note: Out of print - available as xerox copies or PDF files.

Highly Recommended (On Reserve)¶

W.I.B. Beveridge - The Art of Scientific Investigation (1950): Professor Winfree considered this "the best of the lot" despite some archaic attitudes. A British physician's classic analysis of scientific method and discovery. Available on Main Library Reserve and as PDF files on course website.

Essential Articles and Papers¶

On Scientific Method and Discovery¶

John R. Platt - "The Art of Creative Thinking"

Blog about Platt's Gamewsworth: The source of the "GamesWorth" concept - emphasizes the importance of sustained, focused mental effort in problem-solving.
John R. Platt - "Strong Inference": A systematic approach to scientific reasoning through crucial experiments that can eliminate alternative hypotheses. Science 146, 347-353 (1964).
John R. Platt - "Diversity": On the value of multiple approaches and perspectives in scientific investigation.
Richard P. Feynman - "Cargo Cult Science": A Nobel laureate's warning about the dangers of pseudo-scientific thinking and the importance of intellectual honesty. Caltech Commencement Address (1974).
Richard P. Feynman - "The Character of Physical Law": Insights into the nature of physical laws and theoretical reasoning in science.

On Multiple Hypotheses and Objectivity¶

T.C. Chamberlin - "The Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses": The classic paper on avoiding bias by maintaining multiple explanations simultaneously rather than becoming attached to a single theory. Science ns-15, 92-96 (1890).

Historical Case Studies¶

Articles on N-Rays Incident: How respected scientists fell into systematic error through confirmation bias and inadequate controls.
Articles on Pathological Science: Case studies of good scientists making systematic errors in observation and reasoning.
The Barometer Story: A classic example demonstrating multiple creative solutions to a single problem.

On Research Strategy and Thinking¶

Articles by Anderson on research strategy: Practical approaches to planning and conducting scientific investigations.
Freeman Dyson - "Unfashionable Pursuits": On the value of pursuing research directions that go against current trends.
Articles on Venture Funding (Narlikar): How funding pressures can influence scientific research directions.

Professor Arthur T. Winfree's Major Works¶

Editorial Arthur T. Winfree (1942–2002) Journal of Theoretical Biology 230 (2004) 433–439

Books¶

"The Geometry of Biological Time" (1980, 2001): Winfree's masterwork on biological rhythms and temporal organization in living systems. This groundbreaking book established the mathematical foundations for understanding circadian clocks, cardiac arrhythmias, and other biological timing phenomena. ISBN: 0-387-98992-7.
"When Time Breaks Down: The Three-Dimensional Dynamics of Electrochemical Waves and Cardiac Arrhythmias" (1987): An exploration of spiral waves in excitable media, with applications to heart rhythm disorders. This work bridged theoretical mathematics and practical cardiology.
"The Timing of Biological Clocks" (1987): A more accessible treatment of biological rhythms for general scientific audiences.

Landmark Scientific Papers¶

"Biological Rhythms and the Behavior of Populations of Coupled Oscillators" (1967): His foundational paper on synchronization in biological systems, introducing key concepts that would influence decades of research. Journal of Theoretical Biology 16, 15-42.
"Spiral Waves of Chemical Activity" (1972): Winfree's discovery and analysis of spiral wave patterns in chemical reactions, which later proved crucial for understanding cardiac arrhythmias. Science 175, 634-636.
"The Prehistory of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Oscillator" (1984): Historical analysis of the famous chemical reaction that exhibits complex temporal patterns.
"Electrical Turbulence in Three-Dimensional Heart Muscle" (1994): Application of his mathematical insights to understanding life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

Key Theoretical Contributions¶

Phase Response Curves and Biological Clocks: Winfree's mathematical framework for understanding how biological rhythms respond to external stimuli.
Topological Defects in Excitable Media: His identification of "phase singularities" - points where oscillatory systems lose coherent timing.
Three-Dimensional Wave Dynamics: Extension of spiral wave theory into three dimensions, with applications to cardiac tissue.

Supplementary Resources¶

Books on Problem-Solving¶

George Polya - Induction and Analogy in Mathematics and Patterns of Plausible Inference: Using elementary mathematics as example material for general problem-solving principles.
James Gleick - Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman: Biography of a master problem-solver, illustrating creative approaches to physics.
Arthur Koestler - The Watershed (from "The Sleepwalkers"): Biography of Johannes Kepler demonstrating the struggle and breakthrough moments in scientific discovery.

Periodicals and Current Sources¶

Professor Winfree emphasized the importance of current scientific literature, noting that many readings came from:

Current scientific journals and magazines
Recent conference proceedings
Contemporary case studies in scientific discovery
Modern examples of scientific problem-solving

Note: Many readings were distributed as xeroxed handouts, updated each semester to include the most current examples and case studies.

Reading Approach for This Course¶

Active Reading Strategy¶

As Professor Winfree emphasized:

"I expect you to commit to paper a page per class session to celebrate the best things you find or think of while involved with these readings."

For each reading:

Underline key concepts and mark important passages
Make marginal notes with your thoughts and questions
Write a full page of reflection on the best insights
Create a checklist of good ideas for your problem-solving toolkit
Practice techniques suggested in the readings during your GamesWorth sessions

Building Your Problem-Solving Toolkit¶

Keep a running list of:

Useful techniques you discover in the readings
Common pitfalls to avoid
Questions to ask when stuck on problems
Ways to check your reasoning
Methods for generating alternative approaches

Integration with Practice¶

The readings are not meant to be passively absorbed but actively applied:

Test techniques from readings on course problems
Compare approaches from different authors
Adapt methods to your personal thinking style
Share insights with classmates during notebook exchanges
Reflect on effectiveness in your morning-after reconsiderations

Remember: The goal is not just to read about problem-solving, but to transform these insights into practical skills through deliberate practice and reflection.