Philosophy as training for creativity, creativity as training for philosophy: A few suggestions inspired by M. Heidegger, J. Maritain and R. Arnheim

Abstract

The report examines the relationship between philosophy and creativity from the point of view of their importance in the educational process. In the educational process, both of them intertwine and condition each other. The considerations proposed in the report, inspired by some texts by Heidegger, Maritain and Arnheim, have a general character and can serve rather as a starting point — both for a deeper research, and for some concrete formative practice. Creativity is presented as a common platform, or a form of affinity between philosophy and art. The descriptive and analytical path starts from poetry and, briefly touching the song, arrives at the visual arts. Everywhere the great role of the imagination is noticed, which is seen and understood as an "“engine” of creativity. At the end its resonances in the process of education are mentioned and characterized: travel, mediation, affection, involvement, freedom, contemplation — the categories which, in the conclusion, can lead to some proposal of educational practices. One of the inspirations of this report is the experience from teaching the introduction to philosophy.