Date of Award
1-1-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Philosophy
First Advisor
Deborah Mower
Second Advisor
Robert W. Barnard
Third Advisor
Steven C. Skultety
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Creativity, defined as the ability to generate original and innovative ideas and products, is widely valued yet not explicitly taught. This largely stems from the understanding that creativity cannot be cultivated through traditional methods like imitation or direct instruction, as such approaches contradict the essence of creativity itself. However, we must not write it off as unteachable. To help us better understand what can be done to teach creativity effectively, we must consider its character.
This paper offers a theory of creativity as an intellectual virtue, drawing on Linda Zagzebki’s components of virtue and aligning creativity with Aristotle’s phronesis and scholē. It also establishes a causal connection between creativity and imagination, subsequently promoting imaginative play as a powerful tool for virtue education. It then looks to psychological theory, notably the work of J.P. Guilford, which lends support to this theory of creativity and informs best educational practice. By officially recognizing creativity as an intellectual virtue, educators can implement available knowledge of virtue development and foster creativity, harnessing the emotional charge of play to amplify current hidden curricula with intention and empower children and adolescents. The paper concludes with the prescription of a novel pedagogical model of “teacher as referee,” implemented through imaginative play.
Recommended Citation
Gustafsson, Annie Elisabet, "Imaginative Play in the Inculcation of Creativity as an Intellectual Virtue" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2813.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2813