The two issues that I have solved by thinking extensively have been the issue of obesity and the issue of Jew hate.
My methodology has been to look at all of the data cross culturally and within cultures.
Most people look at one part of the data and rely on that as the primary need for explanation. For example, most Americans are becoming obese or already are.
To me that is not the way to approach the problem. First, one must notice that some children are obese, but most are not. Second many adults who are yuppies and social climbers are not obese. Third many populations in other cultures have little or no obesity; such as the Japanese. And lastly, the obesity epidemic began sometime in the late 1970s in the United States.
Looking at these significantly different data points requires a more complex explanation than the simple ‘too much corn syrup’.
I concluded that the increase in number of grocery store products competing to find addictive qualities is acting like Darwinian evolution in bringing us new products that are irresistible to many parts of the society. That inturn causes obesity among American populations.
My explanation for the problem applies to all data points. For me that is a requirement of solid thinking and good solutions.