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From Blind to Creative: In Defense of Donald Campbell's Selectionist Theory of Human Creativity
Author(s) -
CZIKO GARY A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
the journal of creative behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.896
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2162-6057
pISSN - 0022-0175
DOI - 10.1002/j.2162-6057.1998.tb00815.x
Subject(s) - creativity , complementarity (molecular biology) , psychology , epistemology , cognitive science , cognitive psychology , sociology , social psychology , philosophy , genetics , biology
Both Perkins and Sternberg recognize Campbell's selectionist theory of knowledge generation as accounting for certain types of learning and human creativity. However, they argue that his theory cannot account for the full spectrum of human creativity, with Sternberg having more serious reservations than Perkins. I argue in this commentary that while blind variation and selective retention (BVSR) may not be involved in all forms of human behavior and thought, Campbell has made a compelling (if often misunderstood) case that all genuine forms of human creativity and invention involve BVSR. To support this broad application of Campbell's theory, I argue for the complementarity of among‐organism and within‐organism BVSR as well as for the complementarity of prior and current BVSR in all forms of creative human endeavor.