The Act of Creation
by Arthur Koestler
Koestler's theory of 'bisociation': humour, discovery and art all arise from the collision of two previously unconnected frames of reference. A huge, learned 1964 book that influenced every later account of creativity.
Read it if…
you want the deep theory behind 'ideas are combinations'.
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Skip it if…
you want practice; it is theory, and long.
Try instead: How to Fly a Horse →
Three things you will actually use
- Creation is the collision of two frames.
- Humour, science and art share one mechanism.
- Ripeness precedes discovery.
Do this first
Read Book One on the jester, the sage and the artist.
Our verdict
The theory of bisociation.
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