The Origin of Creation

Name: The Origin of Creation
ISBN: 9787213089329

爱德华·威尔逊 / 魏薇Zhejiang People's Publishing House · ChinaDec 2021

4.1

Word count: 83K words
Chapters: 28
ISBN: 9787213089329

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Summary

In The Origins of Creativity, Edward O. Wilson, the founder of sociobiology, sets out with sweeping vision and interdisciplinary mastery a grand proposition: the revival of philosophy. The book ranges across disciplines rather than confining itself to humanity's own historical outlook, and its boldly distinctive arguments are capable of inspiring readers from many angles. From a wholly new dimension it explains the nature of creativity, deepening our understanding of how creativity arises and flourishes, and weaving the understanding of science into the humanities.

Editor's review

Wilson, a sociobiologist, steps into philosophical territory and proposes "the revival of philosophy"—an intellectual stance worth taking seriously in itself. The book's value lies not in offering a closed theory of creativity but in demonstrating a mode of interdisciplinary thinking: examining biological evolution, humanistic tradition, and philosophical inquiry at the same table. Readers will sense the author's boldly distinctive argumentative style—he is not content to describe the phenomenon of creativity but seeks to ask how it is possible and how it flourishes. For readers accustomed to a single disciplinary lens, this book offers a chance to shift perspective; for those concerned with the relationship between science and the humanities, it provides a concrete rather than vague model of integration. Read it as a thought experiment rather than a textbook-style system-building. It is suited to slow reading with some background knowledge, comparing as you go with your own disciplinary experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in the intersection of science and the humanities
University students and researchers seeking to broaden their interdisciplinary horizons
Readers who enjoy speculative reading and are willing to follow the author's reasoning
Knowledge enthusiasts concerned with the nature of creativity and the contemporary fate of philosophy

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting concrete methods or practical guides to creativity
Readers who prefer strict empirical data and experimental conclusions
Readers who want a quick read with clear-cut conclusions

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and introduction to grasp the core proposition of "the revival of philosophy" before entering the main text.
After each chapter, write a few sentences on the author's core argument and your own doubts.
Read alongside a book on the history of science or an introduction to philosophy to help situate the interdisciplinary context.

About the publisher

Zhejiang People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Zhejiang People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its social science, history and foreign literature titles, covering philosophy, politics, law, economics, culture and history. Among the books in the library catalogue, its foreign literature list includes Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country and The Old Capital in well-known translations, as well as Wuthering Heights; its history list is represented by Dangnian Mingyue's Ming Dynasty series, and its politics list by Zhejiang New Discourse. Authors represented include Yasunari Kawabata, Ye Weiqu, Tang Yuemei, Dangnian Mingyue, Emily Brontë and René Wellek, with Wellek's Theory of Literature (newly revised edition) among its titles in literary theory. Beyond these areas, the press also publishes works on literary appreciation and social culture, giving it a profile that combines classic translations, popular history and academic works. As publicly available information is limited, other details are not covered here.

版权信息
The Origins of Creativity
一创造从何而来
1 创造是什么
2 篝火，开启创造的契机
3 语言，创造的真正源泉
4 崭新的原创方式带来创新
5 审美惊喜，标志性特征触发感悟
二什么阻碍了创造
6 人类极端中心主义
7 重科学而轻人文
三什么促进了创造
8 终极因：人类通过思考来实现生存
9 基岩：科学与人文融合的三种方式
10 突破：人类物种变得越来越统一
11 遗传文化：基因与文化协同进化的独特模式
12 天性：四个层面的改变释放创造力
四自然给创造灵感
13 自然为母：我们赖以生存的环境
14 猎者凝神：天人合一的极乐境界
15 花园繁盛：人类追寻的精神家园
五科学与人文的融合
16 借助隐喻：施展语言的魔法
17 寻找原型：人类共同情感的基础
18 探索荒岛：发掘相融的创造力
19 运用讽刺：赢得思想的胜利
20 重振哲学：迎接第三次启蒙
参考文献

FAQ

Is this book a practical guide to creative methods?

No. It leans toward intellectual argument, exploring the nature of creativity and the conditions for its flourishing from an interdisciplinary angle rather than offering operable steps or techniques. If you need concrete methodology, you may find it abstract; if you care about the philosophical and scientific logic behind creativity, it is more valuable.

Can I understand it without a philosophy background?

Yes, but patience is required. The author's arguments are boldly distinctive and span widely across disciplines, so some passages may prove demanding without philosophical training. Read through once for the gist, then return to key chapters; do not feel obliged to fully digest every argument.

What does "origins" in the title refer to?

According to the available material, the book seeks to explain from an interdisciplinary perspective how creativity arises and flourishes, weaving the understanding of science into the humanities. "Origins" points more to inquiry into the conditions under which creativity occurs than to a deterministic answer from any single factor. Its specific meaning must be understood in light of the book's full argument.

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About the author

爱德华·威尔逊 Author

Edward O. Wilson is an author known for his research on ants and other social insects. His works span popular science as well as social and cultural topics, exploring biological evolution and social behavior while reflecting on humanity's place in and future within the natural world. The library holds seven of his works, including the 13-volume Mind Enlightenment Series, The Story of Ants, The Social Conquest of Earth, The Origins of Creativity, Half-Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life, The Meaning of Human Existence, and Anthill, covering categories such as social culture, popular science, social science, and foreign literature. Grounded in rigorous scientific observation, his writing translates specialized knowledge into clear prose for general readers, combining rationality with humanistic concern when addressing ecology, human nature, and civilization. Public information on his birth and death years, nationality, and education is limited, so no speculation is offered here.

魏薇 Author

Public information about Wei Wei is limited, and her nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background cannot be confirmed. Judging from the 15 works held in the database, her translation and editorial work centers on social psychology, management, social science, popular science, and finance, covering subjects that combine academic depth with accessibility for general readers. Representative works include Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress; SuperCooperators; Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much and its classic edition; Solving Problems Like an Expert; and The Origins of Creativity. Most of these are introduced social-science and popular-science titles dealing with reason and progress, cooperative behavior, scarcity and decision-making, problem-solving methods, and the sources of creativity, indicating sustained engagement with general-knowledge publishing. Overall, her work focuses on bringing important overseas ideas and scientific findings to Chinese readers, with a style that aims at accuracy and clarity for a broad audience.