Koestler on Creativity (review)

her mother's illness forces the child to the factory as compensation for lost wages. The ultimate consequence is the young girl's death and the millowner's apparent reconsideration of his labor practices. Opportunities for discussion abound after a viewing of the film. Topics include the impact of industrialism on the individual and on the family unit, as well as the need for political action leading to child labor reform. And the film itself may be handled as a "muckraking" film that strove to create an awareness of social evil. While the plot is unfortunately simplistic, few students are unimpressed with the gravity of the problem dealt with. In addition, the film is valuable in broadening the student's understanding of the significance of film as historical document. James J. Lorence, Dept. of History, University of Wi s.Marathon Campus Koestler on Creativity (40 min., color, 16mm), B. B. C.-TV, 1972. This film which is available from Time/Life Films uses an attractive mountain village in the Austrian Alps as the background for Arthur Koestler' s examination of the Act of Creation, i .e. , the mental processes that lead to scientific and artistic creati vi ty, and the relationship between art and science. This highly sophisticated film shows that even psychologists are divided in their theories on creativity. Various aspects of creativity such as chance, intuition, and insight are discussed. The emphasis is on the unconscious processes which act as catalysts in the reasoning mind. We are told that the scientist creates analogues; he doesn't find them. The film leaves us with the message that there is "no sharp boundary where science ends and art begins." The act of creation is described as a "leap into the dark for both [artist and scientist]." This film is geared to a sophisticated audience comprised of students who, hopefully, have already taken a course in art history (so that they have some appreciation of aesthetic terms) and are now involved with the intricacies of a course in Western Civilization or History of Science (where this film would be equally appropriate). Those receptive to the history of ideas will find the film a delight even if they don't agree with every statement Koestler makes in the film. The food for thought is the meat therein. L. A. Ress, Bronx Community College, City University of New York 99 ...