On Creativity and Development

Abstract

This chapter argues that creativity, far from being uniform or simplistic, is an even more complex and exciting phenomenon than is usually conceived. The gist of creativity may correspond to the following seven stages:

• 1 An individual

• 2 has the ability to

• 3 invent and develop something new, or 2a-3a applies something in a new way

• 4 which generally consists of ideas,

• 5 which especially are artistic, and

• 6 which give rise to interesting and unusual results

The chapter examines the influence of Thomas S. Kuhn on the posthumous reputation of the Polish microbiologist Ludwik Fleck, and the role of the apostles in the rapid spread of Christianity under the Roman Empire. It is argued that the development of an idea may be conceived as the following sequence of stages: birth, development and spread, penetration, regulation - and, possibly, death. We need to consider the social context of creativity; alongside our observation of creativity as an individual endeavour, we should examine creativity and its immediate group of peers and followers (the profession), creativity and the surrounding society (the scientific community at large), and creativity and the recipients-receivers. The chapter advocates a conception of creativity which enables us to express the contribution of an individual within a “creative” situation, and an inclusion of what might be termed “creativity-in-use” and/or “creativity-in-invention”. We need a family of concepts, a series of new terms or categories which are related to each other and to creativity.