Darwin as a Creative Thinker

         The Storm of Creativity mentions "The matrices of thought can be woven tightly over time in our conscious minds, thereby making connections that don't fit the existing matrices seem mistaken" (140). In Darwin's time, this matrix included a society that believed in Creationism concepts of stagnate species. However, Darwin was able to unlearn and rid himself of preconceptions, as discussed in The Storm of Creativity, to come to his theory of natural selection. This is inspiring because it is an example of moving against or around the current and transforming society. The Storm of Creativity mentions that, in particular, Darwin's ability to connect observations of species variation in traits, species overpopulation, and species trait inheritance led him to his discovery (123). I think the craziest thing about Darwin's ability to connect these elements was his amateurism; he wasn't a genius scientist, and he needed to collaborate with professionals for support (such as John Gould with his finch specimens). This really speaks to the agency individuals have in any given practice to be creative. Darwin's is a case that there really is power in being a novice, which is a hopeful sentiment for an artist starting a new technique or a scientist asking a new question.
         What I am most impressed about Darwin is his sense of adventurism. His voyage on the HMS Beagle was long and no small task. He seemed so curious, courageous, and open to exploration. I think allowing oneself the freedom to explore and go on an adventure can make all the difference because only then will new things come. I am also impressed by Darwin's thoroughness because he appeared to study not just one example, but countless examples, scenarios, and applications of his theory (including selective breeding outside of nature) which shows how dedication to an idea can be paramount to the idea's success. Synthesizing from these two components, I think a lot of this boils down to passion, which Darwin definitely had. I think to be creative you have to have passion or no "storm" will come.