On Tuesday, March 18, the College of Letters & Science Administrative Advisory Committee (AAC) hosted a conversation between Professors David Nadler and Shannon Steen on the topic “What is Creativity?” at its second L&S Lunch and Learn convening. Moderated by Aileen Liu, Director of Curricular Engagement Initiatives, this discussion afforded L&S staff the opportunity to thoughtfully engage with the scholarship of the College and connect with their colleagues.
Liu introduced the conversation by having the speakers reflect on what creativity means in their respective disciplines.
Nadler, a professor of mathematics and member of the L&S Executive Committee, framed his conception of creativity in mathematics by quoting German mathematician Leopold Kronecker, saying, “God created the natural numbers, and everything else is the work of mankind.”
Nadler described Kronecker’s idea as the “north star” for the work of mathematicians, and said people’s general conception of the work of mathematics is the farthest from the reality among all the disciplines. Mathematicians are not, according to Nadler, simply calculating for A or proving A is equal to B, but are rather asking, “What is the next letter?” which is where the creative challenge lies.
Steen, a professor of theater, dance, and performance studies and L&S Associate Dean, likewise referenced the divine when considering creativity in the arts.
“Prior to the Renaissance,” Steen said, “God is the only one who can create.”
This idea, and breaking out of it, is a central debate in the arts according to Steen, who described a tension between the work of describing our world as it is and trying to imagine an entirely new world.
Following the thread of the relationship between humanity and creativity, Liu asked how creativity can serve as a safeguard amidst the rise of artificial intelligence.
Author of the recently published book The Creativity Complex: Art, Tech, and the Seduction of an Idea, Steen admitted anxieties around AI and its economies.
“There are not going to be areas of labor that are AI-proofable,” Steen shared, noting that this suggests a need to teach students on some level to “learn to work with and alongside AI” in the classroom.
The challenge with this work, as Steen sees it, is to teach students the critical thinking and reasoning skills that make them the agents in relation to AI, not the passive recipients.
Nadler affirmed Steen’s comments and further highlighted a central issue of AI as a production machine. Nadler believes that for researchers, reaching conclusions is not the heart of the work, but it is rather about working through questions and ideas.
“You have to be really committed to the process as where the pleasure is,” said Nadler. “Thinking the thoughts is the point.”
Following Steen’s thread about teaching, he went on, “[Students] know that what you're asking them to do can be forgotten.”
In mathematics, technological innovations from the abacus to the calculator to the computer have realized this fact. Because algorithms have all been run before and exist online, Nadler argued, what must be taught is not just the algorithms themselves but the reasoning skills to consider when, why, and how to deploy them.
Nadler remains hopeful that AI cannot replace human initiative and creativity and posited a simple scenario to exemplify it: “You showed up at the office and your [to do] list is empty. What would you do? What would AI do?”
Steen echoed this optimism and Nadler’s perspective on output and productivity, saying, “Creativity is not just the novelty of inspiration, it’s what comes next.”
Liu concluded the discussion with a Q&A and wrapped the event by sharing that the AAC is planning future offerings of the L&S Lunch and Learn and welcomes recommendations for future Lunch and Learn topics and speakers. Comments are invited via email at lsaac@berkeley.edu
