An Analysis and Assessment of Creativity as an Ultimate in Whitehead’s Philosophy

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor of Religions and Mysticism Department, Semnan University, Iran.

Abstract

Alfred North Whitehead believes that in all philosophical systems there is an ultimate which is their foundation. In his philosophy of organism which becoming and process have primacy, “this ultimate is termed creativity”. But when we search for this subject in his works, we see in spite of its important, he did not explain his intention clearly and in detail. By considering importance of this subject, present paper tries to first, describe and analyze creativity as an ultimate and clarify its characteristics. Second, criticize pluralistic and monistic interpretations of creativity and it was provided another interpretation which based on unity in plurality. Third, to consider relation between God and creativity in Whitehead’s works, especially in Process and reality, to show that Whitehead’s reading of God in framework of his Philosophy demands that although Creativity is distinct from God, they are interconnected. Fourth, it was revealed some implications and consequents of distinction between God and creativity and then on the basis of distinction between cosmological Creativity and ontological creativity was shown that Whiteheadian creativity is mainly cosmological which can only work as explanation of becoming and process of nature not of ontological origin of actual entities.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 17, Issue 43 - Serial Number 43
Articles
2023
Pages 532-552

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