Philosophical Creativity (Reaction Article By Alex Mos)

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Philosophical Creativity (Reaction Article By Alex Mos)

(This article was written in reply to: Does Originality Exist in Modern Times? Why It Does, Why It Should Exist, And How To Be More Original)

(Alex Mos's Content)

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The Cambridge Dictionary defines originality as the quality of being unique and not the same as anything or anyone else. In the Western, capitalistic world, originality is highly valued so long as it does not become too eccentric and deemed unfit or crazy in societal judgment. An original theory can be a ground-breaking truth or a piece of delusional fiction.

How can we balance between visionary thoughts and fantasy? Should philosophers strive for originality, or should they follow the path of finding evidence-based truth?

Unfortunately and unsettling, in human terms, there is no universal truth we can trust and rely on. There is only a subjective, widely accepted concept of reality we call truth, influenced by different cultures, religions, historical eras, and scientific advancements.

Descrates's "Cogito ergo sum," or "I think therefore I am," perfectly describes the only truth we can be sure of, which is our conscious existence. Objectively, we can't be sure of anything else, as what we perceive as reality could be a dream or a virtual simulation.

I believe that consciousness is not only what makes us "real" but also connects to the physical world and the universe as we experience it. Other terrestrial and extraterrestrial beings might process waves of cosmic consciousness differently and, therefore, exist in different dimensions and perceive the universe entirely differently.

The widely accepted truth has drastically transformed over the ages:

• Olympian deities became folklore, and the Abrahamic Jehova is believed to be the only true God by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

• In 1543, Copernicus's theory of the heliocentric solar system changed the view of the universe, and the theory of quantum physics has revolutionized science since the 20th century.
  

All human progress began with originality, but only a few inventive ideas presented at the right historical moment and time were accepted. They've lead to scientific, political, and social advancement.

The original viewpoints based on logical and philosophical concepts can become visionary when they confirm observations, explain certain phenomena, or can be experimentally proven. The string theory is an example of an original idea implying the existence of a multiverse but has yet to be experimentally proved or disproved. The heated debates between theoretical physicists are fascinating and fuel the imagination of other scientists and sci-fi fans.

However, such open-mindedness is not typical in the academic world, and many unorthodox theories were and are met with skepticism, rejection, and ridicule.

Thinking outside the box and publicly expressing those thoughts can be risky and discouraged by leaders, supervisors, and professors, as it challenges the established belief system and ego-driven order. Sadly, in Western culture, only a few scholars and teachers would be genuinely proud of the students who surpassed or disproved their work.

Western capitalistic culture thrives on competition and rewards creativity within socially accepted limits, making originality desired for careers and validation. Despite that, philosophy must remain logical and truthful.

"I'm hostile to the pursuit of originality in legal philosophy—and also in most other areas of philosophy. By this I mean that one should not set out to say something new; one should set out to say something true."

These are the words of Professor Leslie Green, and I agree with him.

Original, ground-breaking discoveries and theories are impressive achievements of extraordinary human minds. The uniqueness of the results is a "collateral gem," a result of the search for the truth and not the primary ambition as it might be the case for an artist, a writer, or a creator of a computer game.

Let's accept it if the contemplations of reality and truth bring us to less exciting but honest conventional conclusions. We might stumble upon the most original idea that could change our perception of reality forever tomorrow. The more we train ourselves in logical thinking and are sincere, the more we become authentically unique humans able to solve problems truthfully and creatively.