Let's start with the hopeful. The powers of Sherlock Holmes are absolutely real. And in general, the legendary character was written off by Conan Doyle from a living person - Professor Joseph Bell of the University of Edinburgh. He was widely known for his ability to guess the character of a person, his past and profession from the little things.
On the other hand, the existence of one real outstanding person does not guarantee success to everyone who tries to repeat his achievements. To master abilities comparable to those of Holmes is incredibly difficult. Otherwise, Scotland Yard cops wouldn't run to Baker Street for clues, would they?
What he does is real. But what does he do?
He acts, demonstrates his arrogance, pride and ... a remarkable mind. All this is justified by the ease with which he solves crimes. But how does he do it?
The main weapon of Sherlock Holmes is the deductive method. Logic, backed by increased attention to detail and outstanding intelligence.
To this day, there is debate about whether Holmes uses deduction or induction. But, most likely, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Sherlock Holmes accumulates his reasoning, experience, keys to the most complicated cases, systematizes them, collecting them into a common base, which he then successfully uses, applying both deduction and induction. He does it brilliantly.
Most critics and researchers are inclined to believe that Conan Doyle did not make mistakes and Holmes really uses the deductive method. For simplicity of presentation, we will talk about it below.
What is the mind of Sherlock Holmes
deductive method
This is the main weapon of the detective, which, however, would not work without a number of additional components.
Attention
Sherlock Holmes captures even the smallest details. If not for this skill, he simply would not have material for reasoning, evidence and clues.
Knowledge base
The detective himself said it best:
All crimes show great generic resemblance. They (the agents of Scotland Yard) acquaint me with the circumstances of this or that case. Knowing the details of a thousand cases, it would be strange not to solve the first thousand.
The palaces of the mind
This is his excellent memory. This is the vault that he turns to almost every time he searches for the solution to a new puzzle. These are the knowledge, circumstances and facts accumulated by Holmes, a significant part of which cannot be obtained anywhere else.
Constant analysis
Sherlock Holmes analyzes, reflects, asks questions and answers them. Often he even resorts to double analysis, not in vain, because the detective constantly acts together with his partner Dr. Watson.
How to learn it
Pay attention to the little things
Bring the ability to pay attention to details to automatism. In the end, only the details matter. They are the material for your reasoning and conclusions, they are the keys to unraveling and solving the problem. Learn to look. Look to see.
Develop your memory
This is the only way to learn how to analyze, derive your own statistics and form patterns. It will only save you at a difficult moment when you have no other sources of information. It is memory that will help to correctly analyze all those little things that captured your attention when you attack the trail.
Learn to articulate
Draw up your guesses and conclusions, make a "dossier" on passers-by, write verbal portraits, build harmonious and clear logical chains. So you will not only gradually master the Sherlock method, but also make your thinking more precise and clear.
Go deeper into the area
One could say "broaden your horizons", but Holmes would not approve of this lengthy formulation. Try to deepen your knowledge in your chosen field, and avoid useless knowledge. Try to grow in depth, not in breadth, no matter how absurd it may sound.
Concentrate
Among other things, Holmes is a genius of concentration. He knows how to isolate himself from the outside world when he is busy with business, and does not allow distractions to tear him away from what is important. He must not be distracted by Mrs. Hudson's chatter, nor by the explosion in the house next door on Baker Street. Only a high level of concentration will allow you to think soberly and logically. This is a prerequisite for mastering the method of deduction.
Learn body language
A source of information that many people forget about. Holmes never neglects them. He analyzes the movements of a person, the way he behaves and gestures, pays attention to facial expressions and fine motor skills. Sometimes a person betrays his hidden intentions or involuntarily signals his own lies. Use these tips.
Develop your intuition
It was intuition that often prompted the famous detective the right decision. Hordes of charlatans have pretty much ruined the reputation of the sixth sense, but this does not mean that they should be neglected. Understand your intuition, learn to trust it and develop it.
Take notes
And of a different kind. It makes sense to start a diary and write down what happened to you during the day. So you analyze everything that you have learned and noticed, summarize and draw a conclusion. The brain is actively working during such an analysis. You can keep field notes, where you will note your observations of the world around you and the people around you. This will help to systematize observations and derive patterns. For someone, a blog or an electronic diary is more suitable - everything is individual.
Ask questions
The more questions you ask, the better. Be critical of what is happening, look for reasons and explanations, sources of influence and impact. Build logical chains and cause-and-effect relationships. The ability to ask questions will gradually give rise to the skill of finding answers.
Solve problems and puzzles
Anything: from ordinary tasks from school textbooks to complex puzzles for logic and non-standard thinking. These exercises will make your brain work, look for solutions and answers. Just what you need for the development of deductive thinking.
Come up with puzzles
Already learned how to quickly solve them? Try to make your own. The task itself is unusual, so it will not be easy. But the result is worth it.
Read. More. Better
What matters most is not what you read, but how you do it. To develop deductive thinking, you need to analyze what you read and pay attention to details. Compare information from different sources and draw parallels. Include the information received in the context of the knowledge you already have and replenish your file cabinet.
Listen more, talk less
Holmes could not have unraveled cases so easily if he had not listened to every word of the client. Sometimes one word decides whether a case will hang in the air or be unraveled, whether a legendary detective will be interested in it or not. Just remember the huge hound in The Hound of the Baskervilles and the one word that changed a girl's life in the second episode of the fourth season of the BBC series.
Love what you do
Only a strong interest and a great desire will help you reach the end. Only in this way you will not turn off the path of constant difficulties and outwardly unsolvable tasks. If Holmes did not love his work, he would not have become a legend.
Practice
I saved the most important point for the finale. Practice is the key to mastering deductive reasoning. The key to the Holmes method. Practice anytime, anywhere. Even if at first you will not be sure of the correctness of your judgments. Even if at first you will be more like Dr. Watson in your conclusions. Look at people on the subway, on the way to work, look at others at train stations and airports. Only a skill brought to automatism will become really working.
Deductive thinking can come in handy anywhere, and the talents of a legendary detective, with constant practice, will remain with you for life. Holmes' method is interesting in itself and gives amazing results. So why not try to master it?
Let's start with the hopeful. The powers of Sherlock Holmes are absolutely real. And in general, the legendary character was written off by Conan Doyle from a living person - Professor Joseph Bell of the University of Edinburgh. He was widely known for his ability to guess the character of a person, his past and profession from the little things.
On the other hand, the existence of one real outstanding person does not guarantee success to everyone who tries to repeat his achievements. To master abilities comparable to those of Holmes is incredibly difficult. Otherwise, Scotland Yard cops wouldn't run to Baker Street for clues, would they?
What he does is real. But what does he do?
He acts, demonstrates his arrogance, pride and ... a remarkable mind. All this is justified by the ease with which he solves crimes. But how does he do it?
The main weapon of Sherlock Holmes is the deductive method. Logic, backed by increased attention to detail and outstanding intelligence.
To this day, there is debate about whether Holmes uses deduction or induction. But, most likely, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Sherlock Holmes accumulates his reasoning, experience, keys to the most complicated cases, systematizes them, collecting them into a common base, which he then successfully uses, applying both deduction and induction. He does it brilliantly.
Most critics and researchers are inclined to believe that Conan Doyle did not make mistakes and Holmes really uses the deductive method. For simplicity of presentation, we will talk about it below.
What is the mind of Sherlock Holmes
deductive method
This is the main weapon of the detective, which, however, would not work without a number of additional components.
Attention
Sherlock Holmes captures even the smallest details. If not for this skill, he simply would not have material for reasoning, evidence and clues.
Knowledge base
The detective himself said it best:
All crimes show great generic resemblance. They (the agents of Scotland Yard) acquaint me with the circumstances of this or that case. Knowing the details of a thousand cases, it would be strange not to solve the first thousand.
The palaces of the mind
This is his excellent memory. This is the vault that he turns to almost every time he searches for the solution to a new puzzle. These are the knowledge, circumstances and facts accumulated by Holmes, a significant part of which cannot be obtained anywhere else.
Constant analysis
Sherlock Holmes analyzes, reflects, asks questions and answers them. Often he even resorts to double analysis, not in vain, because the detective constantly acts together with his partner Dr. Watson.
How to learn it
Pay attention to the little things
Bring the ability to pay attention to details to automatism. In the end, only the details matter. They are the material for your reasoning and conclusions, they are the keys to unraveling and solving the problem. Learn to look. Look to see.
Develop your memory
This is the only way to learn how to analyze, derive your own statistics and form patterns. It will only save you at a difficult moment when you have no other sources of information. It is memory that will help to correctly analyze all those little things that captured your attention when you attack the trail.
Learn to articulate
Draw up your guesses and conclusions, make a "dossier" on passers-by, write verbal portraits, build harmonious and clear logical chains. So you will not only gradually master the Sherlock method, but also make your thinking more precise and clear.
Go deeper into the area
One could say "broaden your horizons", but Holmes would not approve of this lengthy formulation. Try to deepen your knowledge in your chosen field, and avoid useless knowledge. Try to grow in depth, not in breadth, no matter how absurd it may sound.
Concentrate
Among other things, Holmes is a genius of concentration. He knows how to isolate himself from the outside world when he is busy with business, and does not allow distractions to tear him away from what is important. He must not be distracted by Mrs. Hudson's chatter, nor by the explosion in the house next door on Baker Street. Only a high level of concentration will allow you to think soberly and logically. This is a prerequisite for mastering the method of deduction.
Learn body language
A source of information that many people forget about. Holmes never neglects them. He analyzes the movements of a person, the way he behaves and gestures, pays attention to facial expressions and fine motor skills. Sometimes a person betrays his hidden intentions or involuntarily signals his own lies. Use these tips.
Develop your intuition
It was intuition that often prompted the famous detective the right decision. Hordes of charlatans have pretty much ruined the reputation of the sixth sense, but this does not mean that they should be neglected. Understand your intuition, learn to trust it and develop it.
Take notes
And of a different kind. It makes sense to start a diary and write down what happened to you during the day. So you analyze everything that you have learned and noticed, summarize and draw a conclusion. The brain is actively working during such an analysis. You can keep field notes, where you will note your observations of the world around you and the people around you. This will help to systematize observations and derive patterns. For someone, a blog or an electronic diary is more suitable - everything is individual.
Ask questions
The more questions you ask, the better. Be critical of what is happening, look for reasons and explanations, sources of influence and impact. Build logical chains and cause-and-effect relationships. The ability to ask questions will gradually give rise to the skill of finding answers.
Solve problems and puzzles
Anything: from ordinary tasks from school textbooks to complex puzzles for logic and non-standard thinking. These exercises will make your brain work, look for solutions and answers. Just what you need for the development of deductive thinking.
Come up with puzzles
Already learned how to quickly solve them? Try to make your own. The task itself is unusual, so it will not be easy. But the result is worth it.
Read. More. Better
What matters most is not what you read, but how you do it. To develop deductive thinking, you need to analyze what you read and pay attention to details. Compare information from different sources and draw parallels. Include the information received in the context of the knowledge you already have and replenish your file cabinet.
Listen more, talk less
Holmes could not have unraveled cases so easily if he had not listened to every word of the client. Sometimes one word decides whether a case will hang in the air or be unraveled, whether a legendary detective will be interested in it or not. Just remember the huge hound in The Hound of the Baskervilles and the one word that changed a girl's life in the second episode of the fourth season of the BBC series.
Love what you do
Only a strong interest and a great desire will help you reach the end. Only in this way you will not turn off the path of constant difficulties and outwardly unsolvable tasks. If Holmes did not love his work, he would not have become a legend.
Practice
I saved the most important point for the finale. Practice is the key to mastering deductive reasoning. The key to the Holmes method. Practice anytime, anywhere. Even if at first you will not be sure of the correctness of your judgments. Even if at first you will be more like Dr. Watson in your conclusions. Look at people on the subway, on the way to work, look at others at train stations and airports. Only a skill brought to automatism will become really working.
Deductive thinking can come in handy anywhere, and the talents of a legendary detective, with constant practice, will remain with you for life. Holmes' method is interesting in itself and gives amazing results. So why not try to master it?
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The next wave of popularity and interest in the image created more than a hundred years ago by Arthur Conan Doyle is due to the success of the BBC series. It is the “next wave”, because since the appearance of such a character as Sherlock Holmes in 1887, his name has become akin to the concepts of “detective”, “logic”, “deduction” and is constantly mentioned. The directors of the series "Sherlock" perfectly transferred the famous detective to the present, but this is far from the only thing that fans of the genius of the investigation are happy about. Against the backdrop of the commercial triumph of the series and the previously released feature film, where Sherlock Holmes was played by B. Cumberbatch and R. Downey Jr., respectively, interest in the method of deduction used by the consulting detective, and construction in general, increased.
Sometimes the way a brilliant detective conducts an investigation and solves mysteries is not entirely clear. Nevertheless, all his guesses and thoughts are based on purely facts, from which Sherlock builds a logical chain, and it leads him to a solution. The skill, no doubt, is important, and will be useful in the life of people of many professions. This begs the question, Holmes? And the answer is in the affirmative, adjusted for the fact that the character is fictional and much of it is exaggerated. But there is also an amendment to the amendment - A. Conan Doyle was inspired to create such a hero by a real person. His name was Joseph Bell, he was a professor at the University of Edinburgh and was famous for his ability to guess the character and past of a person from small details.
Scientific background
“What Sherlock Holmes does is interesting and exciting, and there is nothing scientific about it,” anyone who believes in the exclusivity of the detective can say so. And it will be wrong. A famous detective is comparable to a skilled chemist who shows the class an experiment that results in something extraordinary happening. Unusual for everyone, but not for the chemist himself, who read reams of books and practiced with reagents hundreds of times in the laboratory. This is a clear example of how the complex things that science usually deals with can be quite simple and interesting for everyone. So, the skills and abilities that Sherlock himself called the deductive method are based on the most boring science.
In the future, it will be clear from the article what other requirements for the thinking process were used by Sherlock Holmes, but for now, let's deal with the categorical apparatus. The concept of deduction (lat. deductio - derivation) means a method of thinking in which a particular position is logically derived from a general one; a chain of inferences (reasoning), the links of which are connected by a relation of logical consequence. Simply put, it is the acquisition of specific knowledge from the general. But those familiar with the basics of logic and those who have read the works of A. Conan Doyle will rightly point out that Sherlock probably did not go into terminology much, because from the point of view of science he used the inductive method. The fact is that induction is a method opposite to deduction, which is based on obtaining general knowledge based on a number of particular ones. It was he who was used by the detective, first studying the evidence and all known data, and then drawing conclusions based on this. But in order not to upset the admirers of the detective’s talent, we note that Mr. Holmes himself, according to his own statement: “Discard everything impossible, and what remains will be the answer, no matter how incredible it may seem,” he nevertheless used the deductive method, so that formally the logic is observed.
Sherlock Holmes also trusted his intuition. He said: “Sometimes it is much easier to understand something than to explain why I understand it. If you are asked to prove that two plus two equals four, you may have some difficulty with this, but at the same time you are absolutely sure of it.
To learn more about the requirements of logic to the process of thinking, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with our website.
Deduction of Sherlock Holmes
In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes says: "All life is a huge chain of causes and effects, and we can know its nature by one link." This expression perfectly describes how the detective conducted investigations. Undoubtedly, everything in life happens chaotically, and not according to a planned scenario (in the case of Sherlock - Conan Doyle), but even so, everyone can try to develop observation and other exceptional skills of a detective from Baker Street. These skills and abilities are listed below.
- Observation and details. Inspector Lestrade often erred because he didn't pay enough attention to detail, or drew conclusions from the few pieces of evidence that seemed to him most significant. Sherlock Holmes, on the contrary, collected as much information as possible, analyzed all possible scenarios for the development of events and looked at them from different angles. This made it possible to discard unimportant options and, as a result, select several or one of the most significant ones from the set, which the detective checked and ultimately solved the next riddle.
- . The detached face, unwillingness to answer questions and ignorance of people and events around him is not a sign of a "bad" guy in Sherlock, as some of his fans would like to think. The fact is that, having taken up the investigation, Holmes begins to fully "live" with it. He is always focused on the solution, all the time thinking about options and solutions. An introvert in Sherlock Holmes is just a mode of operation in which he completely devotes himself to the cause, discarding what interferes with this.
- interest and outlook. Remember how many types of tobacco ash Sherlock Holmes distinguished. And how skillfully he could determine from which part of England a person came from by the particles of soil on his shoes. He was interested in literally everything, and many things that pass by the attention of ordinary people. He was gifted and savvy in forensic science, working as a biochemist in one of the London hospitals (at least at the time of his acquaintance with Dr. Watson, which is mentioned in A Study in Scarlet). Sherlock played the violin and was well versed in music and opera, was familiar with several European languages and Latin, was an excellent swordsman and boxer, and much more. And often this knowledge helped the detective in life and profession.
- The palaces of the mind. When dealing with huge amounts of information, you need to be able to memorize it and, if necessary, accumulate it. To do this, Sherlock Holmes used the "mind halls" method. This is not his invention, because synonymous terms are known - "palace of memory", "Cicero's road". The ancient Greeks knew this method, and in addition to the genius of the detective craft, it was used by the villain Hannibal Lecter. The essence of the method is in the associative way of storing information, in which each image (information, fact, knowledge) is tied to a specific object in the room (room, house, palace). It sounds rather incomprehensible, so we advise you to read a detailed article on the topic at this link. We also recommend visiting our website.
- Sign language. In addition to observation and a penchant for analysis, Sherlock Holmes was an excellent psychologist. Often he was able to understand only by observing his behavior. Understanding body language and behavioral patterns is important not only for detecting lies, but also for compiling a picture of a person’s habits and activities. To achieve at least minimal success in such a practice, you just need to learn to notice the details in people: habits, manner of speaking, dressing.
- Intuition. It was said above that sometimes relying on intuition, in one choice or another, Sherlock Holmes eventually came to success. Here it is necessary to pay tribute rather than to a developed sixth sense, but to experience, which at some points tells you how to do the right thing. Although the statements are quite contradictory, as exemplified by the long discussion about the question of whether intuition exists and its nature, the conclusion can be drawn as follows - only you yourself can draw a fine line between anticipation of how to act and the act itself.
- Practice. Sherlock Holmes himself compared his thinking to a train. He constantly practiced for fun, and not just when he was investigating a crime. This made it possible to “speed up the train”, to keep oneself constantly in good shape, and when a worthy cause turned up, Sherlock’s intermediate reflections “flyed by at full speed”.
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The popularity of Sherlock Holmes, who was born more than a century ago, is experiencing another wave. A new series produced by the BBC has taken the famous detective to a new level - the stories of Sherlock and Dr. Watson are now set in the modern world.
But this is far from the first boom associated with the name of a fictional deduction genius. Since the first appearance of the stories about Sherlock Holmes and to this day, people from all over the world write letters to him, sending them to 221B Baker Street. The house where the doctor and the detective lived is so famous that the Sherlock Holmes International Society purchased it and founded a museum named after the great detective there.
In the entire history of the existence of this character, dozens of films have been made about him, but the Soviet film adaptation, created in 1970-1980, is still considered one of the best. She gave rise to a second wave of love for Holmes. And so, the Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, as well as feature films starring Robert Downey Jr., again drew attention to a man whose name is essentially synonymous with logic, deduction, detective and investigation. And at the same time, to his methods, with the help of which Sherlock Holmes came to such accurate conclusions.
Reading books and watching films about Sherlock, at first we do not understand at all what observations his logical chains are based on, how he conducts investigations and solves crimes. And all because Sherlock is an extremely mysterious person who only talks about his methods after the case is solved. After his explanations, everything seems so easy and simple - but why didn't we think of it ourselves? After all, there is no mysticism in the deductive method, it is based solely on facts.
The ability to use the deductive method is extremely useful and will be useful not only to detectives, but also to ordinary people. But is it possible to learn how to use the Holmes method? Although Sherlock is a fictional character and his image is largely exaggerated, but the method works, and it is quite possible to learn it. Moreover, the hero of Conan Doyle was copied from a real person. Joseph Bell, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, had a talent that Sherlock flaunted on more than one occasion. From various details of his appearance, his clothes and manners, he guessed the profession, past and marital status.
Scientific basis
Sherlock Holmes does amazing and exciting things, but they have no scientific basis! A person who is sure that the ability to solve crimes is based on some unique abilities of the hero can say so. And it turns out to be wrong.
When an experienced practicing chemist combines various substances, their reactions can resemble a trick - they change color and structure, explode, hiss ... In general, a chemical experiment is like a real miracle. But this is for us, the townsfolk, who are not aware of the formulas. For a scientist who has devoted years to research, who has read dozens of books and scientific papers, who has received more than one burn from reagents, this is not a miracle at all, but the result of long and hard work.
But at the same time, complex long-term scientific developments can look like simple and interesting demonstrations on the verge of entertainment.
It's the same with the deductive method - it seems like everything is simple. But in fact, this is just the result of scientific research, long and painstaking research, studying tons of statistical material ... In general, boring science in its purest form.
The name of the deductive method comes from the Latin word deductio, that is, derivation. This means that in deduction the problem is solved by deriving the particular from the general with the help of logical laws. The catch is that in reality Sherlock did not use the deductive method in his investigations, but the opposite of it - the inductive one. It is based on the fact that the general is derived from the particular, the full picture emerges when the details are studied. But this is exactly what the great detective did - he compared the evidence and all available information, drew up the unknown details of the crime and received a ready-made chain of events.
Nevertheless, Mr. Holmes still, albeit nominally, used the deductive method, instructing his followers: “If you discard what is not comparable with the facts available, only one answer remains. And even if it seems impossible, it is correct.”
Sherlock Holmes was attentive to the clues of his intuition. He argued that sometimes it is easier to understand something than to explain to others how it was done. For example, you will not have any doubts that two times two is four. But explaining why you are so convinced of this will be much more difficult.
Sherlock Holmes owns the following phrase: “The life of any person is a long chain of causes and effects. And it is enough to know one link to unravel all the others. These words are essentially the credo of his methodology. Of course, there was no place for ridiculous accidents in the book, unlike real life, so Sherlock's methods worked in all scenarios. In reality, everything can not be so magical. But still development of logical thinking, observation and other skills of a brilliant detective can be done by anyone. Below we will tell you about these useful acquisitions.
1. Notice and remember the little things
In the stories of Conan Doyle, it is not in vain that such a character as Inspector Lestrade is present - he shows readers errors in the methodology of investigations. One of his main oversights is the omission of small details. He was wrong so often precisely because he did not take into account all the details, but made his assumption only on the basis of those that fit into his version, discarding the rest.
Sherlock Holmes did everything exactly the opposite - he collected as much information and evidence as possible, considered all possible options and chose the only one, the most probable one. After that, the version was still tested, and only then did it become the solution to another mystery.
2. Be able to concentrate
In the moments when Sherlock was thinking about the case, nothing could distract him. He did not communicate with others, did not answer questions and became extremely unsociable. And all because he was completely immersed in the case, endlessly pondering the facts and developing versions.
In today's Sherlock, the writers made his aloofness a trait of a sociopath, but in reality, Sherlock became an introvert only for the duration of the investigations. In ordinary life, he was a sympathetic and good-natured romantic, who was beautifully portrayed by Vasily Livanov in the Soviet film adaptation.
The ability to focus on primary tasks and not be scattered on unnecessary emotions is very important for the development of the detective's abilities.
3. Gain new knowledge and improve skills
Sherlock Holmes remembered all kinds of tobacco ashes, soils in England, poisons and chemicals, seals and coats of arms, writing paper and a million other things that are not known to the townsfolk. The detective scrupulously studied everything that could be useful in his investigations. He was well versed in forensic science, managed to work as a biochemist in a hospital, played the violin, was savvy in art, had hand-to-hand combat skills, was engaged in boxing and fencing, knew Latin ... You can’t list everything. And all this was a great help in the work of the detective.
4. Build your "Memory Palace"
Sherlock Holmes easily operated on the huge amount of data that he kept in memory. To do this, he used the "halls of the mind", where he placed all the information in a certain order. This method of memorization does not belong to Conan Doyle, it was known in ancient Greece, long before the appearance of the detective from Baker Street. It was used not only by a British detective, but also by Hannibal Lecter, a serial killer and cannibal.
The method consists in building associations, with the help of which the necessary information is fixed. All the facts are located in a building known to man in a certain order, each block of data has its own place.
It is difficult to talk about this technique in a nutshell, so it is better to familiarize yourself with separate articles on this topic - “ Cicero's method of remembering»
5. Trust your intuition
More than once it happened that it was intuition that helped Sherlock Holmes to make the right decision. At critical moments, when it was necessary to act quickly, the genius of investigations chose the path that his sixth sense told him (read - " How to develop intuition"). Of course, this is not about some superpowers, but about experience that leads a professional in the right direction better than any compass.
One can argue about does intuition exist and whether it is possible to trust premonitions, but Sherlock Holmes - trusted. And, most likely, he did the right thing.
6. Keep practicing
The English detective used to say that his mind was like a train. It is well known that a heavy train is not easy to overclock, so Sherlock did not stop him - he constantly practiced various logical puzzles and kept his mind in good shape. Thanks to this, his “train” always raced at full speed, easily overcoming the necessary distances between the links of the logical chain.
As you can see, there are no miracles in the methods of Sherlock Holmes. With some effort, any person gifted with an inquisitive mind and patience can approach his idol - become more attentive, educated, persistent and quick-witted.
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Beware, this article contains many spoilers!
The third episode of the second season is amazing. Dramaturgy, dialogues - all at the highest level. For example, it wasn't until the second viewing that I noticed that the final dialogue between Sherlock and Moriarty on the roof lasts 25 minutes. That's a quarter of the entire series! Would anyone dare to say that the episode was long and boring? But in fact, there are just two people standing and talking.)
Okay, it's all lyrics, but the main question is: "How?" How did Sherlock stay alive? Of course, ideally, for completeness of intrigue, it should not have been shown at the last second of the film, let the audience suffer for a year in fear - "did he really die?" But we saw him alive, and now we know for sure that Sherlock is alive.
How did he manage to stay alive? After all, nothing was concealed from us, we saw together with Watson that Sherlock stepped off the roof, saw how he flew, heard the terrifying slap of the body on the pavement, saw the corpse and the bloodied face. How?!!
To understand, unravel the ball back.
Before us played out a grandiose spectacle, a very complex and really dangerous action, with the participation of many people, carefully prepared in advance by Sherlock. Brother Mycroft is connected, with his special services, who unwittingly framed Sherlock under a mortal blow, and now she is simply obliged to help him escape.
Remember. There are episodes in a taxi and in the house of a journalist, Sherlock understands that he is in danger of death and what the words of Moriarty mean "I have one more thing to do." And from that moment on, he starts counterplay. He comes to Molly and asks for help. He speaks directly:
Quote:
You thought Holmes divorced her for sex? He needs Molly's help staging his own death! She has to prepare a corpse that will be passed off as Sherlock, and then she will have to sign an autopsy and death certificate.Sherlock: "Molly, I think I'm going to die."
Molly: What do you need?
Sherlock: You.
Moriarty and Sherlock meet on the roof. You noticed that the meeting takes place at the place appointed by Holmes, that is, on his territory! And the second. On what roof? It's the rooftop of St. Bartholomew's where Molly works! Where everything is prepared for the performance.
The phony bad luck call with Mrs Hudsoe was Sherlock's doing, not Moriarty's. Watson must retire for a while, and arrive only when his presence is needed.
Moriarty and Sherlock are talking. Have you seen Holmes' look? During the conversation, he practically does not look at the enemy, he constantly examines and checks whether everything is in order in the prepared action.
Here he goes to the edge and looks down. Oh, you didn’t pay attention to that rectangle on the pavement, did you? This is the place where the car will arrive, supposedly with garbage bags, but in fact with prepared shock absorbers, on which Sherlock will have to jump.
Decoupling frame. Holmes comes to the edge for the jump. Look at the marks on the side on which he puts his foot. The fact is that he must jump from a precisely marked point.
Watson arrives by taxi. Sherlock immediately begins the manipulation.
-Turn around and go back!
- Stop! Stay here and don't move!
Sherlock puts Watson from above at a point where he cannot see the place of the future fall. So, Watson fixed the big picture in his eyes. Now:
-Don't take your eyes off me!
This is the main technique of all magicians. They force the viewer to look at the right point, and not see what is happening outside their field of vision. Just at this moment, a car with bags drives up below, on which Sherlock will jump. But Watson no longer sees this, he does not stop looking at the person standing on the roof.
Flight down. Laugh at those who say that maybe Sherlock threw a mannequin from the roof or the body of Moriarty. No, it's him. But this fall is not suicidal. He spread his arms and legs for maximum sail, opened his coat. At the same time, a prepared corpse is thrown out of the window of the second floor, which is closed from Watson. The dead man falls on the sidewalk, Sherlock falls on the bags in the car, the car leaves immediately.
Here's a frame of the movie. The car that pulled up a few seconds before the jump, Sherlock lands in it, the car drives away, leaving a corpse on the pavement.
But Watson is still too early to let him near the scene. A cyclist appears on the scene, knocks Watson down and lightly puts him on the pavement. And after that, Watson becomes completely out of his mind, in a half-asleep state. The fact is that at the moment of the collision the cyclist gives him an injection, and Watson loses control over his mind.
View of the scene literally three seconds after the fall. A crowd of doctors, nurses and police officers instantly gathers around the body. In three seconds! They are all people from Mycroft's department. Their main goal is to douse the body with blood, keep Watson away from the corpse, and take the body to the hospital as quickly as possible.
Here, for example, "doctor in civilian clothes." In a suit, without a bathrobe, but for some reason with a stethoscope. Obviously an English "bloody gebnya" from Mycroft's department.
The dumbfounded Watson is given the opportunity to touch his arm for a moment to make sure that there is no pulse, and then they literally tear him away from the dead.
See how skillfully they block Watson's attempts to approach the dead. A crowd has gathered around the scene, but only one Watson is literally dragged away from the deceased!
And now the body is turned over in order to show Watson's face from a distance of several steps. We see the dead Sherlock's face spattered with blood. But it's definitely Sherlock! - you exclaim, how can this be?! Maybe it's enough to remember the beginning of the series, the episode with the kidnapping of the girl and how she was frightened of Holmes. Moriarty used a silicone mask with Sherlock's face during the kidnapping. Holmes found her, and now the mask is put on the dead man's face. Watson is put into such a state that he is unable to see the substitutions. This was the need for the appearance of a cyclist. It was necessary to slow down Watson and give time to those who ran up to the corpse to put on a mask on the dead man. It was dangerous to throw it off in a mask that had been put on beforehand, it could be damaged when it fell.
The performance is over, the orderlies with a stretcher understand the body and take it to the hospital, to Molly, who will draw up a fake report on the autopsy and cause of death. The sniper examines Watson through the optical sight. What he sees satisfies him, no deception, Sherlock really died and Watson is beside himself with grief. Which means three people won't die today. Sherlock's death saved them...
