ABSTRACT
Here we return to the topic of the prepared mind introduced in Chapter 6 and relate it to the eureka-like illumination phenomenon discussed in Chapter 7.
Illumination is viewed in the “classical” model of the creative process described by Poincaré, Wallas and Hadamard mentioned earlier as the conscious stage following unconscious incubation. But Poincaré also argued for a stage of preparedness that preceded incubation, a preparedness that is driven by, and is a reaction to, a particular goal or problem at hand. This differs from the proactive preparation suggested by Wallas and described in Chapter 6. We call it reactive preparation, and it is the process—like all cognitive processes, involving an interleaving of the conscious and the unconscious (described in Chapter 7)—where knowledge related to the problem at hand is acquired. It prepares the artificer to solve the problem; for illumination. Two lengthy case studies of reactive preparation, one of the mid-18th century inventor/engineer James Watt, the other of late 20th/early 21st century artist George Rodrigue, are explored to illustrate the nature of reactive preparation.
We end by noting that reactive preparation is not only the prerogative of the artificer. The consumer must also engage in this for her to be able to judge the originality of an artifact and thus the artificer’s creativity.
