Do great minds think alike? Options

[sweet_devil]

Do great minds really think alike? Where did that quote come from? I mean seriously, when you think about it if great minds really did think alike then how would individual people come up with great inventions? When do great minds think alike and when don't they?

[XoJennaoX]

Two people may have thought of the same idea, but it's the idea that made their minds great. The act of thinking alike doesn't make great minds.

"The act of thinking alike doesn't make great minds." I don't think i said that at all. I was using Mr. Acid's definitions. Two people can have different ideas that make them great, but they can be thinking alike by working towards the same concern.
So your saying just the idea itself makes a mind great? So then what is the point of a great mind if it is not actually used to contribute, would we even know it is great idea in the first place? Don't you think a lot people have great ideas, but fail in the ability to actualize them?

here is the whole quote - “Great minds think alike, fools seldom differ”
I belive the emphasis is placed on the latter, which can really help to define this phrase. The first part states a limit that great minds can ONLY think alike, meaning they NEVER can think the same, this is how it is used in context. "Fools seldom differ" means ONLY fools can have the same ideas, which become redundant and of course pointless to society.

so anyway in conclusion - it is possible for great minds to think alike, but they can never think the same.

[Spirited Away]

"The act of thinking alike doesn't make great minds." I don't think i said that at all.    I was using Mr. Acid's definitions. Two people can have different ideas that make them great, but they can be thinking alike by working towards the same concern.
So your saying just the idea itself makes a mind great? So then what is the point of a great mind if it is not actually used to contribute, would we even know it is great idea in the first place? Don't you think a lot people have great ideas, but fail in the ability to actualize them?

Now I am the one to be confused. I was using your example to point out that there are two things going on.
"You contradicted yourself. If two people have novel ideas, than for you they do not think alike correct? Say two people have novel ideas and both benefit humankind (your definition of great) then they certainly ARE thinking alike by working towards the same goal, the benefit of humankind. "

One, there is the act of thinking of a novel idea, and two, there is the act of thinking alike. The two can be simultaneous or successive, however, they are rather differing actions, if not seperate. I mean to say that the second act does not make great minds. That has been my point since the begining of this thread and is supported by the second part of the saying.

here is the whole quote - “Great minds think alike, fools seldom differ”
I belive the emphasis is placed on the latter, which can really help to define this phrase. The first part states a limit that great minds can ONLY think alike, meaning they NEVER can think the same, this is how it is used in context. "Fools seldom differ" means ONLY fools can have the same ideas, which become redundant and of course pointless to society.
so anyway in conclusion - it is possible for great minds to think alike, but they can never think the same.

Again to reiterate my point, there are differences to decipher in that one part to the quote so I find it lacking.
Also, the word "differ" doesn't have to oppose only the word "same", it can be antonymous to the word "alike" as well. So, it doesn't mean "ONLY fools can have the same ideas", fools can have similar ideas as well. Saying that they seldom differ doesn't mean they don't differ, nor does it mean they only think the same... they can think similarly, and alike.
If my definitions are wrong, then proceed to ignore my last argument.

Oh yea, this discussion is rather confusing.

[XoJennaoX]

I mean to say that the second act does not make great minds. That has been my point since the begining of this thread and is supported by the second part of the saying.

I agree, but the point is not whether thinking alike makes a mind great, that would be changing the meaning completely, i think. Can't great minds think alike in terms of their purpose? I know you tried to explain this as being two different actions, but that doesn't rule out possibility. Like for example philosophers began asking pretty much the same questions "Where did we come from?" "What is the universe made of?" "How does it work?" "What is truth?" They All have different ideas that made them great, but don't you see a connection because of a similar thought process and concentration torward a similar effort? not the same of course, but similar. Well same goes for scientists or inventors. The quote it not saying "all great minds think alike", but it is possible that some great minds do and it makes sense, If of course they began seeking a similar purpose first, thats what makes it only possible, but still possible none the less.

Again to reiterate my point, there are differences to decipher in that one part to the quote so I find it lacking.
Also, the word "differ" doesn't have to oppose only the word "same", it can be antonymous to the word "alike" as well. So, it doesn't mean "ONLY fools can have the same ideas", fools can have similar ideas as well. Saying that they seldom differ doesn't mean they don't differ, nor does it mean they only think the same... they can think similarly, and alike.  
If my definitions are wrong, then proceed to ignore my last argument. 

I said fools are the only ones that CAN(meaning possibly) think exactly the same...not they can ONLY think the same. difference. Again it comes back to meaning great minds almost never ever think the same, that's the key in distinguishing their individual ideas as great.
"Great minds think alike, fools seldom differ" seems for me to be stressing not that "great minds think alike", but that great minds rarely ever think the same. This seems so, because it is outright saying fools are the ones who most of the time think similarly. So in context that must mean great minds most of the time think differently.

So the real question would be "is it true that great minds think differently?" if we are going by what the saying actually means. Kinda confusing, but not really.

[Spirited Away]

I agree, but the point is not whether thinking alike makes a mind great, that would be changing the meaning completely, i think. Can't great minds think alike in terms of their purpose? I know you tried to explain this as being two different actions, but that doesn't rule out possibility. Like for example philosophers began asking pretty much the same questions "Where did we come from?" "What is the universe made of?" "How does it work?" "What is truth?" They All have different ideas that made them great, but don't you see a connection because of a similar thought process and concentration torward a similar effort? not the same of course, but similar. Well same goes for scientists or inventors. The quote it not saying "all great minds think alike", but it is possible that some great minds do and it makes sense, If of course they began seeking a similar purpose first, thats what makes it only possible, but still possible none the less.

Why would it change the meaning of the quote so completely? I do not doubt there are other ways to interpret the meaning of the famous saying, depending on perspective, but interpreting it a certain way doesn't neccessarily changes its meaning completely. If there is but one way to understand it, only one of us would be right or we'd both be utterly wrong. I do not believe interpretations could be wrong unless it deviates too far from the definitions of the words in the saying.

I understand where you're coming from saying that thinking alike in purpose can make minds great, and agree that there could be such a possibility. Now, I will explain why your explanation doesn't sit well with me.

Philosophers, inventors, scientists may set out to accomplish one purpose, and lets say that the purpose is to benefit mankind, but what makes their minds great isn't the act of having a similar purpose, it's the act of coming up with ideas for the purpose. They all may have the same noble ideas, the same ambition, but what makes their minds great is the fact that they came up with such ideas and ambition. That is greatness. Having a similar purpose doesn't make their minds great.

Let me further that by saying the following. Men who came up with great ideas may have great minds, but they are NOT great--as a person, as a human--unless they share their ideas with others. Martin Luther King wouldn't have been great at all if he kept his passion for freedom and equality to himself. If he had kept all that to himself, he would still have a great mind, but he would not have been great.

Thus, there is a crucial difference that sets apart thinking alike and thinking up the idea. Coming up with the same idea doesn't make a mind great. The "coming up with the idea" makes the mind great and the "same idea" becomes an incentive for cooperation... etc.

I said fools are the only ones that CAN(meaning possibly) think exactly the same...not they can ONLY think the same. difference. Again it comes back to meaning great minds almost never ever think the same, that's the key in distinguishing their individual ideas as great.

Before analyzing anything else, I apologize for the confusion. Since you emphasized the word "only" so strongly, I was led to believe that you do not think in the possibility that fools can thinking differently. There is indeed a difference, but it wasn't as clear to me as it is now.

"Great minds think alike, fools seldom differ" seems for me to be stressing not that "great minds think alike", but that great minds rarely ever think the same. This seems so, because it is outright saying fools are the ones who most of the time think similarly. So in context that must mean great minds most of the time think differently.
So the real question would be "is it true that great minds think differently?" if we are going by what the saying actually means. Kinda confusing, but not really.

I'll get to this later... must prepare for staff meeting at work.

[XoJennaoX]

Philosophers, inventors, scientists may set out to accomplish one purpose, and lets say that the purpose is to benefit mankind, but what makes their minds great isn't the act of having a similar purpose, it's the act of coming up with ideas for the purpose. They all may have the same noble ideas, the same ambition, but what makes their minds great is the fact that they came up with such ideas and ambition. That is greatness. Having a similar purpose doesn't make their minds great. 

Let me further that by saying the following. Men who came up with great ideas may have great minds, but they are NOT great--as a person, as a human--unless they share their ideas with others. Martin Luther King wouldn't have been great at all if he kept his passion for freedom and equality to himself. If he had kept all that to himself, he would still have a great mind, but he would not have been great.

Thus, there is a crucial difference that sets apart thinking alike and thinking up the idea. Coming up with the same idea doesn't make a mind great.  The "coming up with the idea" makes the mind great and the "same idea" becomes an incentive for cooperation... etc.

Okay so Martin Luther King obviously had a purpose first before any of his ideas were considered to be the result of a great mind.
Well if having a great idea is the cause of a specific purpose, then in some cases you can say - Two people having two novel/great ideas, that result from a similar purpose, are linked because they thought alike in both purposes. I see it as only a connection (thats all i'm trying to say), not a direct cause and effect, because i agree the act of thinking alike does not actually make minds great. They are separate actions, but that's usually how we connect the "Greats", always in terms of their purpose. So when we connect them in purpose i guess we just assume that must mean they think alike and that's becasue they have great minds, i guess it's a common misconception. I think i was being too confusing before.