The openness of self-constitution : creativity, authenticity, and autonomy
Most theories either identify autonomy and authenticity or else conceive the one as a core condition of the other. This thesis concentrates towards a reconceptualization of authenticity aiming at a clearer distinction between it and autonomy. By doing so, we shall be able to make much better sense of the everyday cases in which these notions are involved. Authenticity may be irrelevant or even conflicting to autonomy and each of these concepts needs to be understood in its own terms. At the heart of this thesis lies the development of a novel conception of authenticity. In contrast to the vast majority of prominent thinkers, who base their conceptions of authenticity on rationality and reflection, I base mine on creativity. Creativity has been widely understood as the creation of something both original and valuable. I develop a novel conception of creativity, which is designed to help us understand authenticity. I focus on what a creative process is, and I define it in terms of a conception of novelty and of sensitivity to the intrinsic value of the creative outcome. In light of this, I formulate a necessary and sufficient historical/developmental, externalist, non-intellectualist, non-rationalist and content-neutral
Erinakis, Nikos
The openness of self-constitution : creativity, authenticity, and autonomy. Most theories either identify autonomy and authenticity or else conceive the one as a core condition of the other. This thesis concentrates towards a reconceptualization of authenticity aiming at a clearer distinction between it and autonomy. By doing so, we shall be able to make much better sense of the everyday cases in which these notions are involved. Authenticity may be irrelevant or even conflicting to autonomy and each of these concepts needs to be understood in its own terms. At the heart of this thesis lies the development of a novel conception of authenticity. In contrast to the vast majority of prominent thinkers, who base their conceptions of authenticity on rationality and reflection, I base mine on creativity. Creativity has been widely understood as the creation of something both original and valuable. I develop a novel conception of creativity, which is designed to help us understand authenticity. I focus on what a creative process is, and I define it in terms of a conception of novelty and of sensitivity to the intrinsic value of the creative outcome. In light of this, I formulate a necessary and sufficient historical/developmental, externalist, non-intellectualist, non-rationalist and content-neutral
openness self constitution creativity authenticity autonomy theory either identify autonomy authenticity else conceive core condition other concentrate towards authenticity aim clear_distinction autonomy shall able make much_good sense everyday case notion involve authenticity may irrelevant even conflict autonomy concept need understood_term heart lie development novel conception authenticity contrast vast_majority prominent thinker base conception authenticity rationality reflection base mine creativity creativity widely understand creation something original valuable develop_novel conception creativity design help authenticity focus creative_process define_term conception novelty sensitivity intrinsic_value creative outcome light formulate necessary_sufficient historical developmental externalist non non rationalist content neutral