Eureka moments that change the world
EVERYONE knows that Archimedes had a brilliant idea in his bath and shouted ‘Eureka’ at his discovery — indeed, it is possibly the only Greek word most people know.
Similarly, Isaac Newton is indelibly imprinted on our minds with the image of an apple falling on his head.
These are what William Irvine, in this lucid, engaging and thought-provoking book, calls ‘aha moments’ — unexpected insights powering intellectual and creative breakthroughs.
Irvine, a distinguished American professor of philosophy, explores this process in the five areas of human activity in which he judges inspiration (or revelation) to be essential — religion, morality, science, mathematics and the arts — and examines the psychology and neuroscience behind these lightbulb moments.
What emerges is a catalogue of brilliance, hard work, serendipity and luck, and a long history of resistance to new ideas: Giordano Bruno, for instance, was burned at the stake for suggesting the sun was at the centre of the solar system; Fleming discovered penicillin as a result of keeping an untidy lab; Roger Penrose’s understanding of black holes came to him on a walk.
The sections on science and mathematics are the most thrilling. For Irvine, mathematical insights are the purest, requiring the greatest dedication in their pursuit and resulting in the purest beauty, as in Andrew Wiles proving Fermat’s Last Theorem.
Irvine also shows us that original insight and invention are nothing without the old-fashioned virtues of hard work and perseverance.
While using the conscious mind to solve a problem, great mathematicians, scientists and artists employ a process of trial and error that also requires moments of i nspiration f or their work to progress: ‘Chance favours the prepared mind’, in the words of Louis Pasteur. Einstein’s realisation that time is not absolute was followed by eight years of hard work; Mahler’s 7th Symphony theme came to him when he heard the oars of a boat — but only after many hours of struggle.
Irvine cites many lesser-known figures whose insights have altered the course of human endeavour. In many cases, what stands out is not so much the discovery itself, but the courage in defending that discovery against the accepted orthodoxy, even when such a position was dangerous or uncomfortable.
Indeed, many scientific insights have been held back by professional envy and rivalry, and women have long struggled to be heard in the male-dominated corridors of academia.
Irvine is a likeable and companionable guide: wry, cajoling (‘If this thought doesn’t utterly astonish you, you have my sympathy’) and amusing at times, occasionally drawing on a personal anecdote to press home the point.
There’s some complicated maths and science in here, but this is largely accessible stuff. This book may not provide you with the recipe for your own ‘aha moment’, but it will lead you to an appreciation and fresh understanding of what happens when it does occur.