Afterword & Appendices
Sherlockian Way of Thinking
Afterword: Begin With a Qestion
Thinking begins with a question. As a child lost in the world of Sherlock Holmes, I regarded his case-solving as a kind of magic—a different language that drew truth from what everyone else overlooked and found a single thread amid disorder. Over time one fact grew plain: Holmes’s strength was not magic, but the power of questioning. He asked, checked, doubted, removed possibilities, and arrived at the simplest, most solid explanation. He was not a prodigy; he simply thought differently.
Why retrieve that way of thinking now, in modern life and technology? Because the ability to ask well is more vital than ever. Information overflows, opinions collide, and technology advances faster than our thinking. In this rush, we are losing the craft of asking what and how to ask.
In the era of generative AI, the refinement of questions matters more than answers. Those who ask well gather better data, derive deeper insight, and design more creative solutions.
Hence this book: not as nostalgia for Holmes, but as a tool of practice. His structures of thought are not merely for solving mysteries; they are techniques for thinking logically, decomposing problems, and finding direction amid uncertainty. We translate that craft into prompts, questions, and everyday training.
From now on, ask yourself one question each day. Even a small and simple question can carry you from “just another day” to “a day one step deeper.” If so, you have already become a little more like Sherlock Holmes.
Thinking is a habit. Thought is a skill, and the question is the key that turns it. May this book be your first question.
Appendix 1.
Quick Reference Table of Reasoning Methods
Appendix 2. Practice Question List (at a glance)
Usage tips
Pick one question a day and jot a short note.
Apply freely to work, relationships, emotions, or decisions.
The aim is not the “right answer,” but the habit of starting thought.
