The train of thought, stream of thought, or chain of thought refers to the interconnection in the sequence of ideas expressed during a connected discourse or thought, as well as to the sequence itself, especially in discussion how this sequence leads from one idea to another.
When a reader or listener "loses the train of thought", i.e., loses the relation between consecutive sentences or phrases, or the relation between non-verbal concepts in an argument or presentation, they lose comprehension of the expressed or unexpressed thought.[1]
The term "train of thoughts" was introduced and elaborated as early as in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes in his Leviathan in a somewhat different meaning, like that of the British Associationists:
By Consequence, or train of thoughts, I understand that succession of one thought to another which is called, to distinguish it from discourse in words, mental discourse.
When a man thinketh on anything whatsoever, his next thought after is not altogether so casual as it seems to be. Not every thought to every thought succeeds indifferently. [2]
See also
- Derailment (thought disorder)
- Absent-mindedness
- Internal monologue
- Mind-wandering
- Association of Ideas
- Associationism
- Stream of consciousness
- Pilcrow
References
- ^ Edward Parmelee Morris, "On Principles and Methods in Latin Syntax" (1901), Chapter VI: "Parataxis"
- ^ Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, The First Part: Of Man, Chapter III: Of the Consequence or Train of Imagination
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