The 3 Conditions for Literary Creativity
Creativity
Nowadays, creativity is a word used by many and abused by some. When we look at job descriptions, in the requirements and skills section, there is hardly any position that doesn’t emphasize on the need for creativity. Be it “the ability to solve problems creatively”, or “to generate creative ideas”, or “to write creative copy.” Surely, we’d prefer to work, communicate with, and be surrounded by people who exhibit creativity and imagination. No wonder, then, that when we want to praise something, or someone, we say that they are creative. But what exactly does creativity mean?
According to the standard philosophical definition, proposed by cognitive scientist Margaret Boden, creativity is “the ability to come up with ideas or artefacts that are new, surprising, and valuable.”¹ Note that rather than a disposition — something innate, creativity is defined as an ability, which means that it’s something that can be learned. Obviously, some will be better in learning this ability than others. Nevertheless, this definition suggests that creativity is not a rare gene just a handful of us are born with, but rather that it can be thought and learned. Great news for all aspiring creatives out there!
Boden also differentiates between two types of creativity: Historical (H-creativity) and Psychological (P-creativity)…
