ORIGINALITY

“Originality does not mean thinking something that was never thought before; it means putting old ideas together in new ways”.

Originality is not something that was never thought before. Old ideas contain something that is useful and can be brought up along with new innovation.

Originality is related to creativity in writing, art, innovation and design. However originality does not mean thinking something that was never thought before.  Human civilization existed for many centuries before, it has passed three main phases i.e. hunter gathering, agricultural and technological era. This combination has showed a variety of ideas some contradicting and other overlapping.  Most of the new inventions and innovation are stimulated from the older ideas. Thus old idea acts as foundation of the new invention.

In reference to the latter half of the issue to be dissected, i.e. originality means putting old ideas together in new ways. Questioning of existed ideas has lead to many new inventions. It requires a radical and interrogative thinking process for improvement of the pre existing norms and belief. Someone has said it right; millions said the apple fell but Newton was the one to ask why.

One of the quintessential of foreseeing the future discoveries was the science fiction writers Author C.clarke, Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlei.  The doyen writer C. Clarke was a great visionary and a brilliant writer. He foresaw communication satellite, a nationwide network of computer and predicted that man will be on moon by 1970. The ideas he mentioned in his work of fiction were the prediction on the future in technological era.

The idea of flying machine was thought long back. Man was always fascinated to see birds flying. Wright brothers are known for inventing the airplanes, but the idea was not something never thought before. Leonardo da Vinci in 14^th century designed a human powered Ornithopter (i.e. a wings flapping device intend to fly). It is not known whether he tried to build it. Leonardo considered gliders and parachute also in this lifetime.  Thus it is evident from the history that the idea was thought before. Even today the aeronautical technology is still growing and the older inventions act as the foundation for the new innovation.

Conclusion; every invention starts with an idea that might be new or old but this does not make the invention less original. It only takes a bit of radical thinking to make it work.

ART vs SCIENCE

"The function of science is to reassure; the purpose of art is to upset. Therein lays the value of each."

In the above issue, it is not clearly defined what is to be reassured and what is to be upset by science and art respectively. There are various domains. Say previous belief, lifestyle etc, that could be considered.

We cannot generalize the role of these two disciplines. We cannot even assure the reverse of the statement is true. As per the evident from history both play important roles in the development of humanity and society. Both have a unique purpose, which modifies with time in both fields.

On contemplating the function of science, it is well known fact that science always challenges the previous belief and presents a new and better way of perception.  Hence science certainly does not reassure the previous beliefs. A few of the great works in this field such as "the origin of the species” by Charles Darwin did attack one of the profound belief and on contrary did not reassure anything. The contemporary work by Mr. Stephen Hawking defies the much popular theory of relativity in some cases and likewise did not reassure the already existing notion.

The purpose of science, if is to reassure anything it is certainly a better way of living. With the development of science and technology, there has been enhancement in the standard of living. The world now has a better way of communication such as telephone, satellite communication and internet etc, fastest means to travel via magnetic trains and airplanes etc , easy lifestyle by usage of machine in jobs which required a great deal of manual work, computers have eased the monotonous and programmable jobs. With the medical technology the science have reassure health concern of human being.

Although science has a negative side as well, that has upset our living standards. The most threatening nuclear power is a production of science and has the power to destroy the planet. The byproducts of industries and automobile have polluted the environment to the extent of global warming and hole in ozone layer.

On the other hand, art have a different function or purpose and that purely is to relax the mind and take a break from the fast lifestyle of monotonous rush in the rat race. However the art too like science cannot be generalized and it depends on the artist’s state of mind, what he or she creates. Listening to music and visiting art gallery always leaves a different impression on mind it may reassure or upset (with profound suffering that it portrays), but is always appreciated.

The beginning of art is not known but Paleolithic caves are evident that it existed many centuries before.  The scriptures in the caves, old famous paintings such as Mona Lisa, beautiful architecture like pyramids.  Certainly do not upset but creates a sense of mysteries and admiration.

Conclusion; the function of science is to progress and purpose of art is to flatter!

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE

"The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the discipline, we see the same world as before, but with different eyes."

Academics or education is the process of acquiring knowledge and broadening the horizon of one’s perception. The difference in the way a child perceive the world and an educated adult perceive the same can be easily seen in the people around us. The mature thought process in an adult individual is due to the knowledge and experience he or she has acquired in the course of academic discipline that he or she pursue. Thus the statement, (The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the discipline, we see the same world as before, but with different eyes.) Has significance.

The people in older times are quintessential of the above issue, for them the basic natural phenomenon was not less than a miracle. Disease was taken as the act of evil and eclipse was the sign of God’s wrath. Some of these processes, say rainbow and stars are still not less than a fascinating miracle for an uneducated baby. Uneducated people in rural areas do not have the knowledge about the disease caring agents that proliferates due to unhygienic lifestyle; this in turn narrows their willingness to keep cleanness in their surroundings. Majority of people in US who does not have the proper knowledge about the heavenly bodies, think moon in made up of cheese. There are various such superstitions that only pedagogy can correct.

 In general the perception of children is same. It varies with the change in surroundings and different experience in academic life. During the formative years of one’s academic life a simple outline of basic knowledge is provided. Later the scope diverges into various academic disciplines, and the knowledge becomes more of complex details. For illustration an engineer has a better knowledge about the machine and programs that he or she has to deal with, a person studying medicine has knowledge about human body and metabolism, a detective has better knowledge of the patterns of the crime, etc. in nutshell the purpose of education is to provide a better and profound understanding of the surroundings.

Conclusion; the difference in different individual is the way they perceive the same world; the difference itself has originated through the academic discipline that one has completed. The excellence in the inherit triads that are developed during the course of academic discipline.

LAW

"It is possible to pass laws that control or place limits on people's behavior, but legislation cannot reform human nature. Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds.

Law is defined as the set of rules enforced by the countries governing body. Law may restrict people inappropriate behavior to a high extent, but thoughts do not have any limits and cannot be barred by law. One’s thoughts may wander without any guiding force. Law does not possess any device or instrument to check on to the thoughts. Law may impose certain restriction in the ways one should behave but cannot control one’s imagination. Thus the above issue is justified.

The inappropriate behavior that does not go with the law is implied with breaking the law and rules, which law bodies have set up. This further is nothing else but committing a crime. Law may have had setup certain punishment for certain crime, but this does not assure that the crime will not be repeated. The criminal may most probably repeat the crime if the punishment is not convincing enough for him to stop. For instance the local muggers and thieves generally are not the one with clear criminal records and are professionals.

It’s a fact that before any crime takes place it has already taken place in the mind of the criminal. (P.S I don’t imply to the acts of crime that occur due to accidents, self defense and movement of madness, etc...)  The criminal behavior is mostly deliberate and well planned and law does not impose any hindrance in the planning.

The right manner to teach how to behave is to discipline and to teach one how to think appropriately is to provide strong morals in the formative years of one’s life. Both the factors i.e. morals and discipline are retrained via education hence to ensure better living standards the governing body should put more emphasis on the education. Better educated individual are more civilized and knowledgeable about the law, discipline and morals.

Conclusion; law may control or place limits on people's behavior, but legislation cannot reform human nature. Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds but education can.

INNOVATION !

“It is always an individual who is the impetus for innovation; the details may be worked out by a team, but true innovation results from the enterprise and unique perception of an individual."

It is a well known fact that, every individual has a unique thought process. Hence every individual looks into any opportunity from any of the various dimensions available. The same is true for the enterprise that comes up with innovations. Thus the statement (“It is always an individual who is the impetus for innovation; the details may be worked out by a team, but true innovation results from the enterprise and unique perception of an individual.") is somewhat convincing. It is only after the basic initial idea is stimulated by an individual the enterprise asks for the associated team to work on details with the team effort. Hence the innovation endeavor is completed by enterprise.

The research and development in the field of science and technology is often substantiated by an individual, who provide the necessary impetus to the project that he or she has stimulated. The project is then worked upon by him along with a team assisting him till the final form of the innovation. Although sometimes there are other members involved, who provide the required incentive and motivation to the team. Thus the credit for the innovation does not always go to an individual every time.

However there are various examples of innovation ideas that have been brought up with the team effort of various scientists through “brain storming” sessions. One contemporary example of such attempt is LHC.

Thus to conclude; the impetus to an innovation in form of an idea by an individual and the formalization of innovation are two different aspect of the whole issue and hence are varied by the stages of the formation of final innovation form. Hence should be considered differently. Although one has to be broadminded and open to the idea of an individual who provide the impetus but should not ignore the tram efforts employed.

Conclusion; the enterprise and unique perception of one or more individuals provide the necessary impetus to any innovation.