So what are ideas? The dictionaries say it is a specific thought which arises in the brain. Well that doesn't really tell us as much as we would like so lets see what the oldest science has to offer. Plato utilized the concept of idea in the realm of metaphysics where only ideas are the sole reality and humans can only see a blurred projections of this reality. John Locke, defines idea as whatever is the object of understanding when a man thinks?, which is a very empiristic way of seeing ideas. Hume differs from Locke by limiting idea to the more or less vague mental reconstructions of perceptions, the perceptual process being described as an impression. Which is quite useful for explaining how ideas are forged. But it doesn't stop here: Emmanuel Kant defines an "idea" as opposed to a "concept". Furthermore "regulator ideas" are ideals that one must tend towards to, but by definition may not be completely realized. Which is an interesting concept, but negative definitions don't really tell us much about how the creation of ideas takes place. Luckily, Wundt widens the term to include conscious representation of some object or process of the external world. In so doing, he includes not only ideas of memory and imagination, but also perceptual processes. This adds an important dimension in understanding this term. So after a rather boring repetiton of high school philosophy, lets speculate on how ideas are created.
The human capacity to generate ideas is associated with the capacity for reason and self-reflection. However, in a popular sense, an idea can arise even when there is no serious reflection, for example, when we talk about the idea of a person or a place. Methaphysics and Kant's negative definition don't really help us much in speculating how usable, tangible ideas are formed in "real life", so lets focus on other concepts about ideas. In essence it is a mental process ( our brain does...) and that this process uses some sort of an imput. I agree with those who claim that this imput can be both internal and external. And how does this mental process create something we call an idea? Well, this is how I imagne it:
The input is constantly being processed by our brain. This creates a "mind charge" in our brain. When there is enough "charge" created in different areas responsibile for different knowledge, these start connecting. And just like in thunderstorm lightning, different areas with high enough charge connect and form a line of thought, a concept... When different concept sparks connect in a new and original way a fresh idea is born. And just like lightning, the charge usually seeks the shortest path among charged particles. So the idea is useful when it connects two previously unconnectable parts. ( Don't forget that these are mere speculations).
Lets try and put all this theory into practice and see if it works: Again, we should try to connect previously unconnected concepts in the shortest, logical way. So for example, lets try and connect pigeon and a text marker. Well the first spark I got is painting the bird into orange with the marker. After some more thought, the created charge sparked even more directly, because I got an "original" idea of making the damned bird go of my window shelf by throwing the marker at it. But that didn't work logically. So after adding another concept into the mind game, I came up with puting an open marker on the shelf. Perhaps, the chemical smell would prevent the birds from landing there. Another a bit more complex idea is that I could open a bussines, which would train pigeons to fly text markers to students in student camuses,when they most desperatelly need them, during their exams... Yes I know, I haven't gotten any really useful or original ideas, but if I won't kill my sparking machine ( limit the imput with too much reasoning ) I am sure that I am going to get quite many useful connections in my life ;) .
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