poincare mathematical creation
DESCRIPTION
Henri Poincare speculates about the origins of creativity in the subconsciousTRANSCRIPT
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Henri Poincare
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NOTES IN FRADIATIONS 2 PP 20 REV. FF.
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It is surprising that not everyone can undersstand mathematical reasoning
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IF mathematics is primarily logical
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If math is logical, then why are there errors?
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To create consists precisely in not making useless combinations and in making those which are useful... Invention is discernment, choice
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significant facts lead us to knowledge --revealing unsuspected kinships
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long, unconscious prior work
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subliminal self is regarded as purely automatic, but the work it does is not purely mechanical -- it is not a reviewing of all possibilities or a 'mere question of applying rules' or of working through all possible combinations
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true work consists of choo sing among combinations
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choices according to subtle rue that are felt not formuateed
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thus the 'subliminal self' is not automatic, not inerior to the conscious self, 'is capabe of discernment' 'it knows how to choose' is a better chooser than the conscious self
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'is not the subiminal self superior to the conscious self?'
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he suggests that the sublim. self has formed many combinations -- but most were not of interest so what separates the few useful ones and lets them 'break into consciousness'
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how is the selection made of what passes the threshold and what does not rise but 'remains below'?
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he attributes it to their profound effects on our 'emotional sensibility'
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he invokes the aesthetic response
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'entities to which we attribute a character of beauty and elegance'
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which have a harmon ious structure or organization (disposed) so we can see both the totality and the details together [this is insight, this is vision and understanding --to see how the parts fit with each other and in relaiotn to the whole
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Even when an idea does not work out, it would have been beautiful if it had worked out
