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What is the common thread of creativity? Its dialectical relation to intelligence and wisdom.
1Yale University, Yale Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise, 340 Edwards Street, P.O. Box 208358, New Haven, CT 06520-8358, USA. robert.sternberg@yale.edu
The American Psychologist
|May 2, 2001
Summary
Creativity involves generating novel, high-quality ideas. It acts as a counterpoint to intelligence, with wisdom synthesizing both for societal progress and balance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Creativity is defined as the capacity for novel and high-quality idea generation.
- Societal creativity is examined through its relationship with intelligence and wisdom.
- Intelligence advances existing societal norms, while creativity challenges and proposes alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the dialectical relationship between creativity, intelligence, and wisdom.
- To understand how these cognitive elements contribute to societal stability and change.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of creativity, intelligence, and wisdom.
- Philosophical examination of their interplay within a societal context.
Main Results:
- Intelligence serves as the 'thesis,' advancing current societal agendas.
- Creativity acts as the 'antithesis,' questioning and proposing new agendas.
- Wisdom functions as the 'synthesis,' balancing established and novel ideas.
Conclusions:
- Wisdom is crucial for integrating intelligence and creativity.
- Balancing intelligence and creativity through wisdom fosters both stability and progress in society.
- This dialectical model provides a framework for understanding societal development.