The Act of Creation

The creativity of the human mind is a subject as old as time and one of eternal fascination. In his book, The Act of Creation, Arthur Koestler explores creativity from a psychological perspective. He suggests that our capacity to be creative is suppressed by the automatic routines of thought and behavior that dominate our lives. He draws analogies between creativity and humor, which he believes is the primary tool that the mind has to transcend its rational nature. He then explores what he terms bisociative thinking—the creative leap made by the mind that gives rise to new and startling perceptions and glimpses of reality. From here he assesses the workings of the mind of the scientific or artistic genius. The general reader as well as the reader with deeper knowledge on this subject will find this richly documented study both illuminating and compelling.