On Creativity, take one
A few initial notes on creativity ...
As a very basic definition creativity is simply "thinking outside the box". I think this applies whether the creative impulse is right or wrong ... it's simply new. Often when we use the term, i think we interchange it with the phrase "creative genius" and emphasize when the creative impulse was correct. I do not want that notion in my denotation ... creativity is simply the ability to produce new approaches, whether or not they work.
"New approach" is a problematic term, though. In general we mean new to the person coming up with the approach. Fine, all things being equal, but the result of this would imply that complaetely ignorant people who do anything are creative, and the most well-learned persons in the world can only be creative by essentially throwing out their entire knowledge base of their culture. This conclusion does not seem right.
In areas like science, in speaking of scientific creativity, this is point is gotten around by talking about creativity in terms of applying what you know to something new.
[Bah humbug. This is all wrong]
A different approach ...
Physiologically, the underpinnings of creativity in the brain is the process of making more neural connections (between brain areas). This process always brings something new to the table when in use (old things seen new ways) and it brings old learning to new topics (apllying what one knows in new and novel conditions).
I think this gets at both impulses, to some degree, in common definitions of creativity.
Again, its just the ability to create connections. There is no judgement here on whether those connections are useful, beautiful or even detrimental.
(Case in point, most paranoid personalities are highly creative ... there brain work to interpret phenomenon in very novel ways ... just not in ways condusive to a healthy life.)
Well, then, so ...
I think i'll take this notion in the direction of comparing and contrasting creativity as bringing new ideas to old areas or old ideas to new areas ... and maybe discuss whether, in meaningful cases, these are generally one in the same thing.
{{{ stopping for now }}}
As a very basic definition creativity is simply "thinking outside the box". I think this applies whether the creative impulse is right or wrong ... it's simply new. Often when we use the term, i think we interchange it with the phrase "creative genius" and emphasize when the creative impulse was correct. I do not want that notion in my denotation ... creativity is simply the ability to produce new approaches, whether or not they work.
"New approach" is a problematic term, though. In general we mean new to the person coming up with the approach. Fine, all things being equal, but the result of this would imply that complaetely ignorant people who do anything are creative, and the most well-learned persons in the world can only be creative by essentially throwing out their entire knowledge base of their culture. This conclusion does not seem right.
In areas like science, in speaking of scientific creativity, this is point is gotten around by talking about creativity in terms of applying what you know to something new.
[Bah humbug. This is all wrong]
A different approach ...
Physiologically, the underpinnings of creativity in the brain is the process of making more neural connections (between brain areas). This process always brings something new to the table when in use (old things seen new ways) and it brings old learning to new topics (apllying what one knows in new and novel conditions).
I think this gets at both impulses, to some degree, in common definitions of creativity.
Again, its just the ability to create connections. There is no judgement here on whether those connections are useful, beautiful or even detrimental.
(Case in point, most paranoid personalities are highly creative ... there brain work to interpret phenomenon in very novel ways ... just not in ways condusive to a healthy life.)
Well, then, so ...
I think i'll take this notion in the direction of comparing and contrasting creativity as bringing new ideas to old areas or old ideas to new areas ... and maybe discuss whether, in meaningful cases, these are generally one in the same thing.
{{{ stopping for now }}}
posted by Thomas F. Schminke at 4:32 PM
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