Conceptual and Lineal Thinking

While all geniuses are conceptual thinkers, not all conceptual thinkers are geniuses. More common, typically conceptual thinkers include entrepreneurs, artists, and entertainers. They are people who tend to start with the whole picture, and work in the details. Lineal thinkers tend to start with the details, and create the picture they want. Both work fine for day-to-day life, and, in fact, life is set up for lineal thinking people.

I don't know if one can really learn conceptual thinking, or if the progression through math is simply a weeding out process to determine who can and can't think conceptually. It seems to me that it can be learned, or they would find a gene or something. It isn't something that's necessarily inherited or inspired through environment. Regardless, I believe humans are capable of learning it, but they must understand it and practice it.

That won't make you a genius, but at least you'll have a possibility!

The side of the brain most people will have to turn on is the creative side. We are taught to analyze problems to resolve them. We're then to turn on our creative sides, and filter that through our analytical sides to arrive at the 'correct answer.'

Conceptual thinkers start out with the result they want, and start working out the variables they need to accomplish what they envision. I've mentioned some typically conceptual thinkers that are in the positive. In the negative, serial killers and frauds are likely conceptual thinkers. There are a lot of details involved in these types of crimes that require 'creative analysis.' Conceptual thinkers are sometimes regarded as 'learning disabled,' but many of those people may really just be 'lineal-learning disabled.' Order doesn't mean as much to a conceptual thinker as to a lineal thinker.

How any one conceptual thinker uses the skill will depend on his or her principles and ethos. However, a high regard for principles is inherent in a genius, even if those principles aren't popularly accepted, or even necessarily provident or healthy for humanity. Geniuses will tend to leave if they are required to compromise their principles in order to stay.

It's a concept they can't accept.