Moments of Change in Creativity metaphors

August 6th, 2006 Fred McVittie Posted in Creativity, Illumination, Metaphor, Transformation |

The dominant metaphors of creative processes all contain a phase during which a rapid change is affected. This might be variously described as a ‘breakthrough’, a ‘turning point’, or as a moment of ‘illumination’ depending upon which metaphor is being invoked. This moment of change, which is usually assumed to be indivisible and of short time span, is not present in metaphors for processes which we are regarded as less creative; building, ‘handicrafts’, folk art, etc.