Creativity in Science Chance, Logic, Genius, and Zeitgeist [Hardcover]

Chance, logic, genius, and zeitgeist perspectives are integrated into a theory of creativity in science.Where do major scientific breakthroughs come from? Do they arise from the logic of the scientific method or do they result from flashes of genius? Are they the products of some mysterious zeitgeist or spirit of the times, or do they emerge from chance, from serendipity? This books provides an answer not by choosing one explanation and ignoring the others, but rather by unifying all four perspectives into a single theory in which chance plays the primary role, but with significant involvement of logic, genius and zeitgeist.Where do major scientific breakthroughs come from? Do they arise from the logic of the scientific method or do they result from flashes of genius? Are they the products of some mysterious zeitgeist or spirit of the times, or do they emerge from chance, from serendipity? This books provides an answer not by choosing one explanation and ignoring the others, but rather by unifying all four perspectives into a single theory in which chance plays the primary role, but with significant involvement of logic, genius and zeitgeist.Where do major scientific breakthroughs come from? Do they arise from the logic of the scientific method, or do they result from flashes of genius? Are they the products of some mysterious zeitgeist, or spirit of the times, or do they emerge from chance or serendipity? Dean Simonton provides an answer, not by choosing one explanation and ignoring the others, but rather by unifying all four perspectives into a single theory in which chance plays the primary role, but with the significant involvement of logic, genius and zeitgeist.Preface; 1. Introduction: scientific creativity; 2. Creative products; 3. Combinatorial processes; 4. Scientific activity; 5. Creative scientists; 6. Scientific discovery; 7. Consolidation: creativity in science; References; Index. This engaging and insightful book explores the four candidates that tradil£z