An Essay On The Psychology Of Invention In The Mathematical Field by Jacques Hadamard

An Essay On The Psychology Of Invention In The Mathematical Field by Jacques Hadamard

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An Essay On The Psychology Of Invention In The Mathematical Field by Jacques Hadamard

Fifty years ago when Jacques Hadamard set out to explore how mathematicians invent new ideas, he considered the creative experiences of some of the greatest thinkers of his generation, such as George Polya, Claude L vi-Strauss, and Albert Einstein. It appeared that inspiration could strike anytime, particularly after an individual had worked hard on a problem for days and then turned attention to another activity. In exploring this phenomenon, Hadamard produced one of the most famous and cogent cases for the existence of unconscious mental processes in mathematical invention and other forms of creativity. Written before the explosion of research in computers and cognitive science, his book, originally titled The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field, remains an important tool for exploring the increasingly complex problem of mental life.

The roots of creativity for Hadamard lie not in consciousness, but in the long unconscious work of incubation, and in the unconscious aesthetic selection of ideas that thereby pass into consciousness. His discussion of this process comprises a wide range of topics, including the use of mental images or symbols, visualized or auditory words, meaningless words, logic, and intuition. Among the important documents collected is a letter from Albert Einstein analyzing his own mechanism of thought.

Jacques Hadamard (1865-1963) was a well-known mathematician who spoke at institutions all over the world, including Hravard, Princeton, Stanford, and Columbia Universities, as well as the Institute for Advanced Study.

SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9781406753462
ISBN 10 1406753467
Title An Essay On The Psychology Of Invention In The Mathematical Field
Author Jacques Hadamard
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Read Books
Year published 2007-03-15
Number of pages 160
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.