Evolution, creativity, intelligence, and madness: “Here Be Dragons”

Frontiers in Psychology

Rex E. Jung¹ 

关键词: creativity;    intelligence;    psychosis;    autism;    abductive;    deductive;    default mode;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00784

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

One of the great joys of being a scientist is the hunt for an elusive signal within the noise of data, opinions, biases, and other human foibles associated with the pursuit of knowledge. It is inevitable that this imperfect quest will result in many false starts along the way when looking “through a glass, darkly.” Our imperfect and incomplete knowledge of the world must look like an unpolished mirror, reflecting gibberish, at times. However, it also reflects an underlying signal that bears further scrutiny, in spite of our instinct to discard a flawed image of reality. The pursuit of the neural underpinnings of creative cognition is certainly that “dark glass” we peer into so intently, attempting to grasp, through our meager instruments, some hidden truth. Many thinkers and researchers have found that creativity and madness seem somehow to be intertwined, but the signal is weak, the image blurry, and the propensity toward romantic stereotypes is high. And yet, as scientists, we can only follow the data, trying to make sense of what it tells us. So, rather than entertain the premise outright let me take you on a bit of a journey (which will end back at madness, I promise).

【 授权许可】

CC BY