Engaging new levels of thinking to disengage from conflict and create cooperation

Antoine Lavoisier in Reflections on Phlogiston said, ‘‘The human mind gets creased into a way of seeing things.’’1 (p232) I have recently been reflecting on this concept when it comes to the research we undertake and common discourses that exist around childbirth. It is so easy to get trapped in the ‘rut’ of trying to solve problems as Einstein said, ‘‘with the same level of thinking that created them.’’ It is not surprising, after all what is familiar is comfortable, but sometimes approaching our problems with a totally new way of thinking actually gives us new insights and leads to innovative research questions and methods. I would argue that if you have been using the same arguments for years and nothing is changing then perhaps it is the argument that needs to change.