Creativity

Bob Dylan on the otherworldliness of creativity (2004) “I don’t know how I got to write those songs. Those early songs were almost magically written.” It is reminiscent of how mathematical discoveries tend to speak themselves—not to the experienced—but to the young. Show more

To illustrate the difference between art and technique, he tells the story of two people who each make a glass cup: the first person designs a fine, functional glass from which one can drink perfectly, but the second person, an artisan, creates another glass cup that is so special, it generates an emotional reaction.

The Greeks would say the second... See more

What is it about fooling around while having fun that enhances creativity? By rearranging actions or thoughts, play generates novel ways of dealing with the environment, most of which lead nowhere but some of which may turn out to be useful — often at a much later date. Play is also about breaking away from established patterns and combining... See more