R.W. Gerard - The Biological Basis of Imagination

Summary of R.W. Gerard “The Biological Basis of Imagination”

R.W. Gerard’s “The Biological Basis of Imagination” is an essay exploring the causal functions of creativity.  He uses a mix of science, observation and educated speculation to identify the causal elements that lead to creative thought.   He outlines that knowledge grows through progressive steps (236).  More specifically, knowledge forms by identifying a problem, determining relevant variables, and following their correlations (236).  He writes, “Only later … does the nature of the basic entities begin to become manifest and does it become possible to grapple with them” (236).  In other words, observation does not necessarily provide immediate answers, but it provides the tools to reveal understanding.  Gerard’s approach to is to identify common themes of creativity, review what variables can be measured, review the information against people who have experienced brain damage, and then link the phenomena to neural mechanisms (236).

Gerard cites many authors, poets, scientists and artists to develop common elements of imagination (237-239).   He defines creative, “Imagination, creative imagination, is an action of the mind that produces a new idea or insight” (237).  Creativity comes in flash of inspiration (237).    He notes that imagination is the source of a great work, not reason (237).  He also suggests that imagination is the premise, or the question, and reason grinds out the conclusion, or answer (237).   Though several commonalities are identified through numerous references, it is these notions that stand out throughout the essay.

Gerard moves to the unconscious for tools to understand creative thought.  He writes that psychoanalysis has provided some tools for reference.  Ideas such as displacement, projection, identification, repression, denial and suppression are all mental elements associated with the unconscious and contribute to thought and behavior (238).   He supports his ideas by summarizing several authors who affirm that ideas and images lay at the edge of the consciousness (238).   It is Gerard’s assertion that great poems are the “fusion of conscious impressions and unconscious interpretations” (238).  Further, the elements from the conscious and unconscious are inseparable.  The point Gerard is making is that the conscious and the unconscious are working together in the creative mind.  However, Gerard is deepening the level of understanding by combining those notions with the working tools of psychoanalysis. 

Gerard introduces the idea of closure.  Closure is that part of thought that can pick out elements of one’s environment and consolidate meaning from it (239). For Gerard, it is the difference between creation and creativity (239).  He uses the example that the stars are part of creation.  It is creativity that isolates points, creates the idea of constellations, and assigns meaning to it (239).  It is Gerard’s thoughts, “Since imagination only regroups sensory material, there is truly nothing new under the sun” (239).  

Gerard further develops closure as a basic property of the mind (240).  Its base function separates form from ground, or foreground from background, and enables one to establish identities of objects (240).  Identity transfers to recognition of “spatial and temporal relations” (240-241).  Closure allows the viewer to identify the parts of the system to make a whole, or, to view a whole and see its part (241).  A gestalt is a whole and recognized by the sum of its parts (241).  Closure is the function that allows someone to form gestalts.   Gerard writes that creative thinking is the processes of substituting one gestalt for a better gestalt (241).  Gerard is implying that closure occurs repeatedly over time.

            Gerard identifies seven traits of imagination that can be scientifically measured (242).   The I factor, or induction, is the ability to see logical patterns or behaviors (242).  The K factor pertains to the unconscious and the ability to form associations without conscious restraint (242).  The A factor is the ability to “make closure complete” (242).  The E factor is the ability to replace one closure with another (242).  Finally, there are the S, W and M factors pertaining to the ability to interpret space, words and memory respectively (242).  Gerard notes that the A and E factor occur earlier in the imaginative processes (242).

 Gerard notes that there are hereditary associations with intelligence and music ability.  However, growth of mental ability appears to be more a matter of “biological maturation than life experience” (244).

Gerard discusses brain functions against individuals with brain injuries.  The scientist can gain insights to brain functionality by analyzing damaged portions of brains.   Gerard writes that Pick formulated how sound is transferred into meaning.  There is a progression of the perceptions of speech from sound, to identification of cadence, to awareness of meaning and finally the forming of full understanding of sentences (246).  On the expressive side, intuitive thought becomes structured.  Then the structure is formed into “schema of sentence” and words are chosen to express the intent (246).  Aphasic is a disturbance in the brain and the particular tool of study for people with brain injuries.  Gerard writes that Aphasic may prevent sensation emerging into meaning, or behavior for expression (246).  More importantly, Aphasic can impact that ability of the mind to form closure or structure (246).   Gerard notes the complexity of the human brain and that this field of study is an imperfect science (247).  This part of the essay reflects the how the study of mental disturbances has revealed how meaning is form and expressed.  In addition, and through the same field study, the contributing elements of imagination have been revealed.

Gerard describes the mapping of the brain and nervous system.  In summary, Gerard writes “Between perception and imagery on the one hand and volition on the other lie the great mental territories of imagination and reason” (250).  Gerard notes the difference between crude sensations processed in one area of the brain, against reason, will and action in another portion (249).   It is his position that imagination depends on sensory information (250).   Further it is the elements of space, time and mass that provide the early notions of identity and entity (250).

Gerard identifies two types of learning.  At-sight is the “Slow culmination of a new ‘correct’ response in the course of the conditioning experience” and in-sight, “the sudden grasp of a solution and abrupt performance of the correct response, the gestalt or closure or imaginative act.” (255).  Gerard suggests that in-sight may be slow and cumulative process as well (255).  That is ideas are working in the mind, but do not come forth until they have reached a certain threshold (255).   The other implication applies to education.   At-sight learning is the primary tool of the educational system and applies to conscious reason.  It can be measured by evaluating the accuracy of regurgitation from the student.  In-sight is not emphasized and is difficult to measure.  Gerard implies that creative power lies with in-sight instruction, and it is not known to what level creative thought can be cultivated. 

Gerard closes the essay with several notions.  He writes that the unconscious works on problematic or worrisome ideas of the waking mind (259).   He suggests it takes courage to meet the unknown, to “escape the different,” and to face one’s own prejudices (259).   

Gerard includes numerous cites to describe numerous aspects of creativity.  However, there are several notions that standout.  The idea that there is creation and there is creativity.  Creation is what exists, and creativity is the use of closure to identify entities and develop meaning.   It is also important to note that closure works in layers.  One may form meaning from closure, but one may also continue forming closures that are better and replace the initial thought. Closure works in conjunction with his notion that imagination is the question and reason forms the answer.  In that imagination is searching and questioning the environment and closure is continually attempting to provide meaning or answers.  It is notable that Gerard does not view the research as an exacting science.  He notes areas that can be documented and verified through repeated experiments, and he notes areas that are nebulous but speak to the scientific observations.  Perhaps the most important aspect of Gerard’s essay is his notion that it takes courage to look beyond oneself.    If imagination and creativity are how people question their world, then people, first and foremost, have to be able to move beyond what they think they know and open to what they might find.

Gerard, R.W. “The Biological Basis of Imagination.” The Creative Process: A Symposium. Ed. Brewster Ghislen. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1985. 236-259. Print.