On steering clear of creativity

Abstract

Scepticism of creativity as a topic for philosophical aesthetics is posited. Arguments for this scepticism are adduced. The idea that ‘creativity’ denotes a process of which we can have knowledge is resisted. What sort of knowledge is sought here? Some seminal accounts of creativity are not theoretical but are themselves fine works of literary art. Coleridge's distinction between a psychological curiosity and poetic merit is invoked and, following Margaret Macdonald, psycho-physical problems are distinguished from questions of poetic, or more broadly, artistic merit. The concepts of aesthetics are claimed to be allied with the latter. Finally a suggestion is advanced that creativity is more a local character of some particular art, especially Romantic, rather than a universal feature of art as such.

Keywords:

• creativity
• imagination
• Coleridge
• romanticism
• Janet Wolff