Creativity as Synthesis

By Jonathan Halls

People often create new ideas by bringing two existing ideas together and synthesising them.

You’ll often read in creativity literature that the printing press is an ideal example of this. It was apparently developed by combining the concept of the wine press with the use of ink. It’s also a process of making connections with different ideas.

I believe one of the most powerful tools in the intellectual toolbox for creative thinkers is to make connections. I also believe it is the key to intelligence too – but hey, that’s another discussion. Connections occur when you consider a number of ideas together, recognise what is common and uncommon, and bring them together.

The web is a great example of synthesis. Initially it was the bringing together of computers and telephone networks. Now it is radio and television.  In fact cyberspace is now a virtual world.

It also shows some evolution as well. It was originally a U.S. defence technology to ensure emergency communication be maintained should the United States’ main terrestrial communications systems go down. Academics started using it and Tim Berners Lee developed the World Wide Web.

We can see synthesis happening on the Web as well. Audio and Video were originally distinctly different platforms. We had television sets and we had radios. Now the Web brings together audio and video.

Let’s think a bit more about the Web and radio. By combining the global connectivity and transmission power of the web with the basic function of radio, the idea of radio on the web has been created. We can listen to a Manchester radio station in New York. Radio and the Web come together nicely.