ABSTRACT
In general, so far, computers themselves have not been specifically harnessed to produce creative ideas and insights by themselves. Rather it has been through the interaction of people and computers that ideas have been produced. However, Simon (1985) discussed a computer program called BACON, which he had developed with co-workers. He argued that if a computer program was able to make discoveries which, if made by a human, could be considered creative, then the processes it used should provide useful information about the creative process. The BACON program received raw observational or experimental data and produced, when successful, scientific laws. Simon wanted to show that scientific discovery is an understandable phenomenon which can be explained in terms of all the same kinds of basic information processing mechanisms that account for other forms of human problem solving and thinking. Simon’s efforts were directed at getting a computer to undertake creative problem solving by itself.
