Creativity

"the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts. "

Is how the Dictionary tries to define the meaning of creativity.

Many people believe that creativity is only on an obvious level. On what you can produce via an artistic hand, or play with an instrument, a 'talent' is usually linked to obvious creativity. But many people believe it can play a part on a much deeper level than that. 
"It is the tension between creativity and scepticism that has produced the stunning and unexpected findings of science." 
Carl Sagan, scientist.

Could it be that some of our most creative minds do not paint a picture, or write a poem, but look into the depths of inquisition, and try and answer some of our most pondered questions.
Albert Einstein was one of the most influential people in scientific and mathematical history, Surely to claim he lacked creativity would be incredibly discriminatory of his achievements. Many people believe creativity is delving where nobody else dares to delve in their heads, choosing to admit that what seems to be stupidity and totally irrelevant to what we believe logical is the definition of creativity. 
"Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity." 
Edwin Land.
With creativity being such a complex and important tool, its almost certainly not a product of the narrow minded. 
"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas" 
Linus Pauling.
Linus Pauling believes that a creative mind is one that listens to many theories, has many small ideas and is interested in the world around them, but does not necessarily reach a final conclusion to their problems.

Maybe creativity is not a matter of being able to reach an answer to anything in that case, Maybe it is purely not having boundaries within your own imagination...and to have open thoughts and concepts.

So what says, spells out creativity to people?

Some people would say that their favourite musician who can express emotions and feelings through music and words alone spells out creativity more than anything else.

Others may believe that a philosopher who dares to ask what nobody else does, challenge the unchallenged has the ultimate creative mind.

Creativity is totally and utterly what we make it.

Creativity as a whole is valued very highly by our government.

A statement issued by the government on the 28/01/2008 reads:

"The Government attaches great importance to creativity in the curriculum as a means of supporting children and young people's personal development and achievement. We agree that creativity is not just about the arts. It is about problem-solving, exploring ideas, making connections, and being imaginative and innovative. and it applies across all subjects. Creativity in science and maths is just as important as in English and art. We recognise that creativity is one of the 'soft' skills which employers and the HE providers value" 

So it would seem that our government recognise the importance of teaching and allowing creativity from an early age in all aspects of study.

What exactly has been put in place to insure this then? Well tweaks are frequently being made to the work scheme in classrooms, adding more creative writing into English, introducing maths puzzles (eg sudoku) and and more practical tasks into lessons to help children use the explorable and creative side of their thinking. I wonder if this really is the answer to more innovative inventions, more fabulous artwork and mind blowing philosophy. I guess only the future will tell.