Chase, Chance, and Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty [Paperback]

James H. Austin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2003

This first book by the author of Zen and the Brain examines the role of chance in the creative process. James Austin tells a personal story of the ways in which persistence, chance, and creativity interact in biomedical research; the conclusions he reaches shed light on the creative process in any field.Austin shows how, in his own investigations, unpredictable events shaped the outcome of his research and brought about novel results. He then goes beyond this story of serendipity to propose a new classification of the varieties of chance, drawing on his own research and examples from the history of science--including the famous accidents that led Fleming to the discovery of penicillin. Finally, he explores the nature of the creative process, considering not only the environmental and neurophysiological correlates of creativity but also the role of intuition in both scientific discoveries and spiritual quests. This updated MIT Press paperback edition includes a new introduction and recent material on medical research, creativity, and spirituality.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The brain is the organ of creativity, but the means by which the brain performs these glorious acts is still poorly understood. In Chase, Chance, and Creativity James Austin combines his own creative experience with an extensive knowledge of neuroscience, and starts us on the path to illumination." Kenneth Heilman, James E. Rooks Jr. Distinguished Professor of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine

"A fascinating look at creativity from the inside." George Adelman Library Journal

"Anyone engaged in any kind of original work will find the book rewarding." Anthony Storr Washington Post

About the Author

James H. Austin, clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, is Professor Emeritus of Neurology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Missouri (Columbia) School of Medicine. He is the author of Zen and the Brain, Chase, Chance, and Creativity, and Zen-Brain Reflections, all published by the MIT Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 265 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 1 edition (August 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262511355
• ISBN-13: 978-0262511353
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Acoustics & Sound
  • #71 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Research

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My students give Austin's book high marks, September 29, 2005

By 

H. Charles Romesburg (Utah State University) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chase, Chance, and Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty (Paperback)

For more than ten years I taught a research design course to graduate students at Utah State University, and to help them understand how scientists create hypotheses I made Austin's (an nationally awarded researcher) "Chase, Chance, & Creativity" assigned reading, along with other books and journal articles on hypothesis creation. Consistently they reported that his book helped them most and is on par with good novels in being hard to put down. As for me, I believe "C,C,& C" will help people in all fields (artists, inventors, entrepreneurs,. . .) be more creative. I'll go so far to say to its publisher that it'll be a service to civilization to keep it in print forever.