One remaining minor quibble that I have is that the author isn't quite sure where he comes down on the genius issue. He seems initially to favor the view that genius is an adaptive phenomenon forced into existence by the selection pressures of the sociocultural milieu. Later, when discussing emergenesis offspring inheriting genes that are not those of their parents, but rather, perhaps of their great-grandparents, i.
This inability to come down strictly on one side is perhaps to be expected from a scientist, but it does mean that the book doesn't really read like a book, but more like a dissertation. In conclusion, I would say that this is a worthwhile text for life sciences students, and those interested in evolutionary biology and who have read a few of the classic tomes of that genre and are thus well versed with slightly in depth evolutionary explanations.
Oct 09, Will rated it it was amazing. Origins of Genius by Dean Keith Simonton is idea dense study of the origin and nature of creativity from a Darwinian perspective, not a study of genius in the popular sense of the word. Simonton convincingly explains his choice of using eminence as a measure of genius rather than test measurements of raw intelligence.
Using Charles Darwin as an example of creativity and eminence throughout the book, Simonton looks at the cognitive processes that give rise to new ideas with a mixture of individual Origins of Genius by Dean Keith Simonton is idea dense study of the origin and nature of creativity from a Darwinian perspective, not a study of genius in the popular sense of the word.
Using Charles Darwin as an example of creativity and eminence throughout the book, Simonton looks at the cognitive processes that give rise to new ideas with a mixture of individual reports of eminent individuals, scientific studies and modern computer models of creativity, making sure to set a distinction between primary and secondary Darwinian models.
I found the section discussing the creative output of individuals of eminence and the section discussioning blind selection and selection retention in cognitive functioning the most interesting sections the book. The fact that total output and being cited are two of the best indicators of eminence sheds doubt on the common perception that quality is the most important aspect of creative works. It is a book ripe with ideas that will change the way the reader views the creative process and it will change the way the reader understands the eminent figures throughout world history.
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What conditions or personality traits seem to produce exceptionally creative people? Is the association between genius and madness really just a myth? These and many other questions are brilliantly illuminated in The Origins of Genius.
Dean Simonton convincingly argues that creativity can best be understood as a Darwinian process of variation and selection. The artist or scientist generates a wealth of ideas, and then subjects these ideas to aesthetic or scientific judgment, selecting only those that have the best chance to survive and reproduce. Indeed, the true test of genius is the ability to bequeath an impressive and influential body of work to future generations.
Simonton draws on the latest research into creativity and explores such topics as the personality type of the genius, whether genius is genetic or produced by environment and education, the links between genius and mental illness Darwin himself was emotionally and mentally unwell , the high incidence of childhood trauma, especially loss of a parent, amongst Nobel Prize winners, the importance of unconscious incubation in creative problem-solving, and much more.
Simonton substantiates his theory by examining and quoting from the work of such eminent figures as Henri Poincare, W. For anyone intrigued by the spectacular feats of the human mind, The Origins of Genius offers a revolutionary new way of understanding the very nature of creativity. Assuming prominence in figures as varied as Newton and Napoleon, the modern genius emerged in tension with a growing belief in human equality.
Contesting the notion that all are created equal, geniuses served to dramatize the exception of extraordinary individuals not governed by ordinary laws. The phenomenon of genius drew scientific scrutiny and extensive public commentary into the 20th century, but it also drew religious and political longings that could be abused. In the genius cult of the Nazis and the outpouring of reverence for the redemptive figure of Einstein, genius achieved both its apotheosis and its Armageddon.
The first comprehensive history of this elusive concept, Divine Fury follows the fortunes of genius and geniuses through the ages down to the present day, showing how—despite its many permutations and recent democratization—genius remains a potent force in our lives, reflecting modern needs, hopes, and fears.
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