ABSTRACT
It is generally accepted that creative artists, writers, and musicians often demonstrate signs of intense emotionality and troubled childhoods; the artistic professions are frequently associated with feelings and emotions and are accepting and integrating of such personalities (Ludwig, 1995). On the other hand, creative academicians, scientists, and politicians often have rather stable and emotionally sound childhoods and develop in a mature and coherent fashion into adulthood. Because of this, the role of affect in scientific creativity tends to be given short shrift. That is, because the personalities of this latter group do not often display mental disturbances or turmoil, and cold logic is believed to be a requirement of these professions, the emotional state of scientific thinkers is considered irrelevant to their creative work. I have recently shown that this is not the case (Shaw, 1989, 1994). The reason for this transcends the issue of mental turbulence and pain. Rather, it is because people’s feelings will always be part of them and intimately linked to their rational components (Damasio, 1994). People should be aware that in order to make rational choices in life, it is important that they learn about their feelings, understand their nature and causes, not be overwhelmed or controlled by them, and use them as signals that can aid them in making appropriate decisions.
