Idea and Thought are two terms that are often confused regarding their meanings and connotations. Idea refers to a plan or process that occurs in the mind concerning the completion of a task or duty. In contrast, Thought is a continuous mental process. The primary difference between the two words is that Thought leads to an Idea. Thoughts need to combine to form an Idea, making Thought a subset of Idea.
Key Takeaways
- Idea refers to a plan or process that occurs in the mind concerning the completion of a task or duty.
- Thought is a continuous mental process that keeps going in the mind unabated.
- Thoughts need to combine to form an Idea, making Thought a subset of Idea.
Thought is a piece of reasoning produced by thinking and can sometimes refer to a characteristic way of thinking for a particular group of people or society, such as ‘the medieval European thought’ or ‘the Western thought.’
On the other hand, an Idea refers to a conception or plan formed by mental effort. In other words, an Idea is a mental impression, notion, or concept. These are the differences between Idea and Thought.