types of creativity

Among the main types of human creativity, we can highlight the following:

1. social

2. scientific

3. technical

4. artistic

We will try to consider the features of these types of creativity in more detail. Creativity as a social action. The concept of social action is associated primarily with the practical activities of people in the sphere of material production and the change or improvement of existing social relations. Activity should be understood as any manifestation of social activity, which is a way of existence of social reality. Social action is a concrete socially significant act localized in space and time of this subject in its content of the subject activity of the subject. Social action appears as a result of the integration of spiritual (intellectual, emotional, volitional) and practical efforts of the social subject (individual, team, group, class, society). In social action, its internal structure can be identified, which forms the relationship of its constituent components in their relatively stable and integral set: the subject of the action and the object (subject) of the action, the way the subject influences the object (forms, means, methods), the purpose and direction of the activity subject, organization of action, space (social localization), the moment (the boundaries of its actual being) and the result (product) of action. Social activities can be classified according to different characteristics. So, depending on the object of the action and the scope of the subject, one should distinguish political, industrial, cognitive, scientific, technical, religious, etc. Actions.

By the nature of the action can be random or planned, spontaneous or conscious, one-act or repetitive, etc. relation to the subject of action are individual, collective, group, class, nationwide, state, national, etc. In terms of the topic under consideration, it is essential that the direction and results ( with a certain degree of conditionality) the following social actions can be singled out: reproductive - aimed at preserving and maintaining the normal functioning of a specific social institution (in the political sphere, for example, electoral campaigns are of such nature, in the field of science - information and training systems, in engineering - standardization ); actions that have a pronounced abolition of some elements of social life (these are actions of social denial - political revolutions, criticism of erroneous concepts in science, the struggle of opposing philosophical ideas, and others); actions to create new forms of social reality and the development of public consciousness. Such actions are nothing but social creativity. The collectivization of agriculture and the development of virgin lands (in the field of economics), the building of the Soviet state and the improvement of socialist democracy (in the sphere of politics), the implementation of the space exploration program (science and technology) are all manifestations of creative action. Noting the relativity and convention from the point of view of the general-dialectical ideas of the division of social actions conducted above, we still consider it necessary to take it into account in the analysis of specific processes of social life. In this case, the interpretation of creativity as a specific type of social action allows us to combine its analysis in psychological and logical aspects with the discussion of the problem in a broader sociological sense. The foregoing is fully applicable to the understanding of scientific creativity.

Creativity in science

Scientific creativity is “an activity aimed at the production of new knowledge, which receives social approbation and is included in the system of science”, “a set of higher cognitive processes that expand the boundaries of scientific knowledge.” Creativity in science requires, above all, the acquisition of fundamentally new socially significant knowledge, this has always been the most important social function of science. The content of the “new knowledge” is different. So, A. V. Slavin distinguishes three types of knowledge acquired by people: the discovery of a new empirical (experimental) fact; deduction from the system of initial positions of such concepts and judgments of a specific theory that have not been empirically established; the formation of new concepts and judgments (scientific propositions and principles) that require a change in existing theoretical concepts. According to Art. Popov, scientific creativity can be expressed in the discovery of something new, which before this science was not known, but in reality existed; in the discovery that before this point did not exist in reality and, therefore, was not known to science; in the discovery of historical facts and documents; in a new scientific proof of an idea, etc. So, new results of scientific research are considered as new, which significantly expand and deepen the existing knowledge about objective reality and its properties. Thus, the new is manifested in various forms: in the form of the discovery of a previously unknown objective fact, the establishment of a new law, the creation of a new theory, the formation of a specific style of thinking and the emergence of new research paradigms, etc. The creative process should also include the use of scientific discoveries, solving practical problems with the help of science. In the era of scientific and technological revolution, there is a sharp increase in the volume of new knowledge. Doubling applications for scientific discoveries and inventions occurs on average every 2.5–3 years. Approximately at the same high rates the number of issued patents and copyright certificates, inventions introduced. Considering, in principle, the above definitions of scientific creativity, we still believe that in modern conditions it is not enough to limit the characterization of creativity in science by emphasizing the fact that new knowledge is being produced. The transformation of science into a direct productive force already requires the consideration of the problem of creativity not within the framework of the “knowledge” system only, but as a moment of a single social action in the wider system “science - technology - production”. In expanded form, the formula of this action can be expressed in the following form: FI - PI - P - Pr —Os —PP, where FI is basic research; PI - applied research; P - development; Pr - design; Os - development; PP - industrial production.

The nature of creativity and its content (subjects, objects, methods, means, products, etc.) at each stage of the social action under consideration are different. In a plannedly regulated socialist society, it is necessary to create conditions for ensuring creativity and realizing its results at all levels of scientific and technological progress. Consideration of scientific creativity in the aspect of social action requires, as we see, the involvement in the analysis of the totality of problems arising from the structure of modern science: the ratio of experimental and basic research, scientific management, personnel, information system, financing, planning and organization of science, the implementation of scientific research in production , social orientation of scientific action and others. Similar questions belong to the competence of the now developing "science of science", to the science scholar niyu. Returning to the discussion of the concept of creativity as a social phenomenon, we summarize our definition in the form of the following definition: creativity is a specific social action for the production of new socially significant material and spiritual values. The subsequent analysis will allow to concretize this definition.

Technical creativity Transformation in the modern conditions of science into a direct productive force finds its expression in the emergence and functioning of a single system "science - technology - production." Therefore, the analysis of scientific creativity as a social phenomenon also requires consideration of creativity in technology as one of the necessary components of a holistic social action. The starting point of the analysis of technical creativity is to understand it as an essential point of social practice. Practice is a socio-historical activity of people aimed at transforming nature and improving the system of social relations. In practice, man opposes nature as an object of his activity, expediently transforms it and satisfies his needs. Human needs are based on production and determine the production of necessary products. "Consumption considers the object of production ideally, as an internal image, as a need, as an incentive and as a goal." The practical action is realized on the basis of the social subject’s awareness of the goal of the activity, the means of achieving it, and also the characteristics of the object of transformation. In the process of practice, human needs are objectified, the subjective becomes objective. Objectification is the transformation of a goal from the form of subjective activity into the form of an object. In a higher and complete form, objectification appears in terms of the expression of man’s essential forces: as a creator. The universal means of creative activity is the idea. The reflection in the idea of ​​the properties of the object coincides with the human desire to transform it into a socially significant value. In practice, the object is transformed in accordance with human needs. The content of the idea here goes into the form of activity and from it into the form of being of the created object. Being socially defined integrity, the practice is found in various forms. One of its essential manifestations is technical practice.

The content and levels of this type of practice form the exploitation, production and design of technology. The product of technical practice is technology, reliability and efficiency of functioning of technical devices. Its means are various devices, industrial equipment and test benches, and from the point of view of ideas scientific and technical and natural science theories. Technical practice forms the direct basis of technical creativity. Outside it, without communication with it, there can be no creativity in the field of technology. Technical creativity as a type of practical activity is a specific social phenomenon. Its specificity is determined by the nature of the technical problem, the solution of which requires a real means, an invention or its construction. In contrast to scientific technical creativity, it is directly related to the practice of operating existing technical structures in the process of creating and introducing new structures into production. In technical creativity, practical and spiritual moments of activity are closely intertwined. Practical action is expressed in changing the material of nature with the actual construction of a technical object. Spiritual activity acts as an ideal object construction.

The creative process in technology, encompassing both the search for an idea and its realization, the development of human spiritual potential, and the creation of an object, is a unique synthesis of spiritual and material production. There are, however, other considerations about the nature of technical creativity. So, L. Uvarova reduces the development of technical means to cognitive-transformative activity, and V. Belozertsev characterizes technical creativity only as a kind of spiritual production. Including cognitive-transformative activity, technical creativity nevertheless never boiled down to it. The development as a socially organized form of creativity does not boil down to it. Designing an ideal image of a machine predetermines its production, but it is impossible without actualizing imagination, intuition, thinking, and will. Technical creativity, however, is not a purely spiritual process, as P. Engelmeyer once argued. In his opinion, the embodiment of the idea in the material is a routine operation and is completely devoid of creative content. Later, the position of a purely spiritual character of technical creativity defended F. Dessauer.

The essential points of technical creativity are the search for an idea and its implementation in the material. Historically and relevantly, it can appear in various forms: from empirical concepts to scientific concepts. But in all cases the emergence of a technical object is mediated by the idea. Being objectified, it “dies”, turns into a template, an example of solving a certain type of technical problems. A technical object turns out to be a kind of accumulator of ideas materialized in it. The two most important concepts of technical creativity are technical object and subject of creativity. “Technical object” is an object of technical practice. A common and necessary feature of such an object is a relationship with a concrete historical subject armed with technical knowledge and the ability to exploit, manufacture and design it. The concept of a technical object is of a theoretical nature and cannot be reduced to its empirically fixed forms. The subject of technical creativity is the idea. Without it, it is impossible to carry out creativity. With the help of an idea, technical needs are objectified, become the subject of research and objectification. Thus, technical creativity is an objectively conditioned almost spiritual form-making activity of a person, the specific subject of which is an idea that materializes in a technical object. With the change of social practice, various stages and levels of development of technical creativity are revealed.

The essence of artistic creativity

In contrast to scientific and technical creativity, artistic creativity does not have a direct focus on novelty; it is not identified with the production of a new one, although originality is usually present among the criteria for artistic creativity and artistic talent ratings. At the same time, art never denied the strength and power of scientific methods and used them to the extent that they helped to solve the main problem of art - the creation of aesthetic values. But at the same time, there is always an understanding in art of superiority over science in the ability to use the power of artistic fiction, intuition and fantasy. Art as a type of human activity differs, in particular, from science in that the elements of illusion, fantasy, ecstasy are not only present in the final results of artistic creativity (this is the case for all creative results), but also have the same, and in essential moments - greater value than the results of direct scientific analysis, synthesis, experiment and observation. Thanks to fantasy and fiction, integrity is realized, figurative in art, art acquires force and independence. Artistic fiction knows neither spatial nor temporal boundaries, does not submit to inertial forces and forces, is deprived of isometric, physical, chemical qualities, and this allows it to penetrate the depths of human passions, to go through fortifications and barriers, to pass sentinels, to attend secret meetings invisibly Supreme State Councils, to experience the mystery of death, to create Pierre Bezukhov, Anna Karenina, Prince Myshkin. To deprive art of fiction, fantastic visions, “broadcasting” and prophecy is the same thing as depriving a boxer of gloves, a lumberjack is an ax, and a seamstress is needles and threads. This is the essence of artistic creativity: to unite free creations of fantasy and reality in the final product of art in such a way as to produce artistic effect — laughter, interest, love, catharsis, hope, anger, etc.

The relationship of types of creativity

Analysis of the social nature of creativity involves consideration of its specific types, and with them the consideration of activities. First of all, it is possible to single out two major types of activity: material and practical, and spiritual and theoretical. The one and the other in turn include a number of smaller varieties. Practical activity is connected with various branches of production, management, service (industry, agriculture, medicine, etc.). Spiritual-theoretical activity finds expression in various forms of social consciousness (morality, science, art, sense of justice, religion, etc.). В соответствии с различными видами теоретической и практической деятельности могут быть определены и виды творчества: научное, техническое, художественное, правотворчество и пр. Такой вывод в общем справедлив, но при этом необходимо также учитывать конкретные исторические условия и заинтересованность отдельных классов, социальных групп в прогрессе той или иной конкретной области общественной жизни. В домарксистской социологии понятие творчества относилось лишь к труду деятелей искусства и науки, в то время как остальные виды деятельности объявлялись нетворческими (в особенности физический труд). Противопоставление различных видов деятельности и отрицание в некоторых из них возможности творчества неправомерны. Однако сказанное не означает отрицания существования и необходимости нетворческой деятельности, в том числе и в тех областях деятельности, за которыми признавалась монополия творчества. Например, в искусстве — размножение имеющихся произведений искусства, в науке также далеко не вся деятельность является творческой, в частности информационный поиск. Выделение отдельных видов творчества определяется общими условиями дифференциации человеческой деятельности, вытекающей из общественного разделения труда. В то же время творчество по своей природе синтетично, тяготение к единству здесь проявляется сильнее, чем где бы то ни было в человеческой деятельности. Все виды творчества связаны друг с другом как в своих истоках (материальная производственная деятельность людей), так и в своих конечных целях (обеспечить наряду с решением ближайших задач и глобальную задачу всестороннего и гармоничного развития человека). Что касается научного творчества, то наряду с этими общими тенденциями разделение труда и определенная специализация здесь зависят также от конкретных условий его организации и уровня развития научно-технического прогресса. В современных условиях становится возможным и необходимым преодоление прежде сложившегося разделения труда в науке, введение новых форм специализации: по проблемам, по общенаучным методам, по отдельным этапам решения проблем (информационный поиск, постановка проблем, популяризация результатов исследования) и др. При оценке роли и влияния конкретных видов творчества важно соотносить каждый вид творчества с общественной жизнью в целом и с разнообразными видами деятельности людей. Поскольку, например, решение технических задач в современных условиях возможно только на основе конкретизации и реализации научных знаний, то отсюда вытекает теснейшая взаимосвязь научного и технического творчества в такой степени, что можно говорить о формировании научно-технического творчества как единой формы творчества. Конкретные формы единства научного и технического творчества этим не исчерпываются, равно как и их единство не исключает относительной самостоятельности развития того и другого. Взаимосвязь между отдельными видами творчества находит выражение в плодотворном развитии стыковых пограничных областей между ними. Находит свое развитие и связь научного и художественного творчества. В результате взаимодействия технического творчества с художественным образуются разнообразные виды деятельности и творчества: архитектура, прикладные искусства, дизайн, оформительное искусство, искусство рекламы и т. д. Наряду с подчеркиванием взаимосвязи и взаимо дополнения видов творчества следует иметь в виду и историческую тенденцию доминирования, преобладания определенных видов творчества. Например, на основе бурного научно-технического прогресса преимущественное развитие получают научное и техническое творчество, а это может уменьшить «удельный вес» того или иного вида творческой деятельности, не ограничивая развития других видов. Большей частью развитие одних видов творчества содействует развитию других. В прошлом отдельные проявления, моменты творчества получали преобладающее развитие в отдельных видах творчества: логики — в научном творчестве, воображения — в художественном, экспериментирование, по способу «проб и ошибок» — в техническом творчестве. В настоящее время уже выяснена ограниченность такого понимания творчества. Хотя по традиции нередко применение научно обоснованных методов деятельности. связывают исключительно с научным творчеством, а развитие какого-либо вида творчества понимают лишь как применение научных знаний (техническое творчество, творчество в сфере экономии и др.). Таким образом, взаимосвязь между различными видами творчества следует истолковывать как взаимовлияние, а не в плане вытеснения или полного поглощения одного из них другим.