Pipes and Thought

[OverMountain]

Why is the pipe often associated with thinking, reflection, or rumination? Einstein himself was famously attributed the quote (and I paraphrase) that pipes contributed to calm and reasoned judgment on life’s events and observations.

Unconscious Thought Theory (UTT) is just a theory and not a scientific law, but it basically says that conscious and unconscious thought are good at different things. Unconscious thought is a very powerful decision making tool in which the brain can continue to recognize patterns while the person is not not actively engaged in thinking about the decision or needed action at hand.

Call it “sleeping on it”, “taking a break”, or otherwise distracting yourself with another task. It informs your gut instinct or the strong hunch you feel when you know what must be done.

Pipes have been associated with this power of thinking for many years, including the great psychologists of yesteryear, including Jung and Freud.

Enjoying a pipe requires conscious thought and action to load, light, tamp, sip, and enjoy. While the mind is occupied with hand motion and pipe smoking, I think the unconscious mind can be focused on solving the days riddles or problems.

What Sherlock Holmes called a “3 pipe problem” takes on a new light in reference to unconscious thought theory.

Have you had a pipe epiphany?

A Theory of Unconscious Thought - PubMed

We present a theory about human thought named the unconscious-thought theory (UTT). The theory is applicable to decision making, impression formation, attitude formation and change, problem solving, and creativity. It distinguishes between two modes of thought: unconscious and conscious...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Have you had a pipe epiphany?

A Theory of Unconscious Thought - PubMed

We present a theory about human thought named the unconscious-thought theory (UTT). The theory is applicable to decision making, impression formation, attitude formation and change, problem solving, and creativity. It distinguishes between two modes of thought: unconscious and conscious...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Yes, but not with a tobacco pipe.

 

[Flatfish]

Have you had a pipe epiphany?

No.

 

[warren]

Nope. The nicotine only alters my mind a teensy bit, not nearly enough for epiphanies. I've never associated the pipe itself with mystical powers. Nicotine? Not mystical but, the brain loves it. Perhaps those who attribute mystical powers to the pipe and, not the nicotine, use smoking as an escape mechanism. Just a thought.

 

[verporchting]

Nope.

Seems like overthinking to me.

I enjoy smoking a pipe. That’s it, that’s all there is to it.

 

[MattRVA]

I have noticed that most of my best thinking is done while doing menial repetitive tasks that are primarily muscle memory. I’m sure the pipe can fit into this for a seasoned non fussy smoker. I’ve always loved tobacco and the accompanying nicotine, it just fits me and has for many years. I think nicotine itself lends greatly to deep thought, the pipe as a delivery system, perhaps better than most.

 

[warren99]

Not I. Additionally, loading, lighting, tamping, and puffing/sipping are mostly routine tasks--at least for me-- performed out of habit, that require little if any conscious thought. The nicotine may stimulate the cerebral cortex though.

 

[OverMountain]

I have noticed that most of my best thinking is done while doing menial repetitive tasks that are primarily muscle memory. I’m sure the pipe can fit into this for a seasoned non fussy smoker. I’ve always loved tobacco and the accompanying nicotine, it just fits me and has for many years. I think nicotine itself lends greatly to deep thought, the pipe as a delivery system, perhaps better than most.

Now you’re onto the trail.

There’s nothing magical or mystical about a pipe or nicotine, but the act of enjoying a pipe and it’s flavors can focus the conscious mind on that, while allowing our unconscious thought to mull over observations for patterns.

Lots more to say about muscle memory, which is actually a form of “non declarative” memory. What we do, changes our brain.

I equate it to experienced pipe smokers on this forum providing similar advice and experience through trial, error, observation, and repetition.

I don’t have mystical experiences, but do often find that Einstein was right. Mulling things over with a pipe can bring clarity in a way that other methods cannot.

 

[Piping Abe]

Pipes may work well to stimulate thought and for reflection. The difference between Einstein’s day and today is that most everyone here puffing on their pipe has their face glued to a screen. Myself included. Take all the technology away and you may find that it helps clear the mind even better. Or maybe find that old man buying his monthly supply of PA and pipe cleaners at the local chain and ask him.

 

[brian64]

Yes, it could be a pipe smoking ritual, or any number of similar things, or just meditation...but it's about quieting the mind, or putting it on autopilot such as with muscle memory.

The much larger subject here is consciousness itself...and modern, materialist, reductionist western science has nothing to say about it, because it can't be measured and doesn't really fit anywhere in their narratives. They don't like to talk about it, but if they do they will say it is generated by, and limited to the brain. To my own satisfaction I know that is not true. Like most people I have had personal experiences that tell me it is not true, as well as much studying on the subject.

I believe consciousness is not bound by time and space...except for what we generally refer to as waking consciousness, which is just the tip of an iceberg, and is the ordinary, functional conscious state we experience after being filtered and processed by the brain.

 

[shanez]

I smoke to not think.

 

[OverMountain]

Pipes may work well to stimulate thought and for reflection. The difference between Einstein’s day and today is that most everyone here puffing on their pipe has their face glued to a screen. Myself included. Take all the technology away and you may find that it helps clear the mind even better. Or maybe find that old man buying his monthly supply of PA and pipe cleaners at the local chain and ask him.

I like smoking while hanging out around the fire. Way better than screen time.

 

[Lucashly]

When it just me and my pipe I get a lot of mental work accomplished. I am not aware that I am doing this until later when I have finished my pipe. I have said before that devoid of electronic devices I get the most of the mental contemplation that pipe smoking provides.

 

[kcghost]

It frequently keeps me from doing things immediately and letting cooler thoughts prevail.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Why is the pipe often associated with thinking, reflection, or rumination? Einstein himself was famously attributed the quote (and I paraphrase) that pipes contributed to calm and reasoned judgment on life’s events and observations.

Unconscious Thought Theory (UTT) is just a theory and not a scientific law, but it basically says that conscious and unconscious thought are good at different things. Unconscious thought is a very powerful decision making tool in which the brain can continue to recognize patterns while the person is not not actively engaged in thinking about the decision or needed action at hand.

Call it “sleeping on it”, “taking a break”, or otherwise distracting yourself with another task. It informs your gut instinct or the strong hunch you feel when you know what must be done.

Pipes have been associated with this power of thinking for many years, including the great psychologists of yesteryear, including Jung and Freud.

Enjoying a pipe requires conscious thought and action to load, light, tamp, sip, and enjoy. While the mind is occupied with hand motion and pipe smoking, I think the unconscious mind can be focused on solving the days riddles or problems.

What Sherlock Holmes called a “3 pipe problem” takes on a new light in reference to unconscious thought theory.

Have you had a pipe epiphany?

A Theory of Unconscious Thought - PubMed

We present a theory about human thought named the unconscious-thought theory (UTT). The theory is applicable to decision making, impression formation, attitude formation and change, problem solving, and creativity. It distinguishes between two modes of thought: unconscious and conscious...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oddly enough, the names mentioned also liked narcotics and hallucinogens so likely had nothing to do with their pipes.

For me it's just hands free nicotine while I'm working.

 

[Searock Fan]

Why Albert Einstein, the Genius Behind the Theory of Relativity, Loved His Pipe

Einstein reportedly believed that pipe smoking contributed to a calm and objective judgment, but his doctor said give it up

www.smithsonianmag.com

 

[OverMountain]

Why Albert Einstein, the Genius Behind the Theory of Relativity, Loved His Pipe

Einstein reportedly believed that pipe smoking contributed to a calm and objective judgment, but his doctor said give it up

www.smithsonianmag.com

Great article.

 

[Lucashly]

Why Albert Einstein, the Genius Behind the Theory of Relativity, Loved His Pipe

Einstein reportedly believed that pipe smoking contributed to a calm and objective judgment, but his doctor said give it up

www.smithsonianmag.com

Enjoyed the video.

 

[OzPiper]

Nope.

Seems like overthinking to me.

I enjoy smoking a pipe. That’s it, that’s all there is to it.

Exactly !
I think all day when I’m at work
I insist on a 1 hour+ lunch break to clear my head

The last thing I want to do when I have a smoke is to philosophise or navel gaze.
I spent a happy 30minutes watching 2 red parakeets on the front lawn nibbling on winter grass seed this afternoon while indulging

 

[bullet08]

It's like sitting on a toilet. While bowel movement's doing its thing, you have sometime to kill. Some people reach for old magazines, pipe catalogs, newspapers.. Others wonder about the meaning of life. Pipe smoking is much like taking shit.