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1 results

  • Chapter 8 - Data, Methods and Constraints

  • from Part III - Conclusions: First Principles of Creativity Science
  • Feiwel Kupferberg
  • Book:
    Constraints and Creativity
    Published online:
    09 July 2021
    Print publication:
    29 July 2021, pp 288-311

  • Summary

    This chapter elaborates upon Aristotle’s methodological theory of First principles and tries to bring it up to date by relating it to different debates about data and methods of relevance for creativity science. The theory of “Whig history” as used by Kuhn forbids retroactive analysis. Kuhn ignores the fact that successful scientific revolutions solve tricky problems and generalizes from an unsuccessful revolution (fallacy of induction). Pioneers are effective causes (no death of the author, compare Barthes). Autobiographies are not always reliable and are merely a part of observing pioneering work or intellectual biographies. Creative processes are complex (compare Diamond’s “Anna Karenina” principle). This is the reason that biographical data on pioneers can best be seen as natural experiments. The data base should be broad (interdisciplinary) and contrasted both across and within intellectual fields or creativity regimes. A theory of methodology is missing in both rationalist and empiricist accounts of scientific creativity.