Towards a Formal Creativity Theory: Preliminary results in Novelty and Transformativeness

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal framework for understanding creativity, defining novelty and transformational creativity, and explores how learning influences creative behavior within this formal setting.

Contribution

It proposes formal definitions for novelty and transformational creativity within a learning theory framework, initiating the Formal Creativity Theory research branch.

Findings

Novelty is necessary for transformational creativity with an inspiring set.

Learning is integral to transformational creative behavior.

Formal definitions enable precise analysis of creativity concepts.

Abstract

Formalizing creativity-related concepts has been a long-term goal of Computational Creativity. To the same end, we explore Formal Learning Theory in the context of creativity. We provide an introduction to the main concepts of this framework and a re-interpretation of terms commonly found in creativity discussions, proposing formal definitions for novelty and transformational creativity. This formalisation marks the beginning of a research branch we call Formal Creativity Theory, exploring how learning can be included as preparation for exploratory behaviour and how learning is a key part of transformational creative behaviour. By employing these definitions, we argue that, while novelty is neither necessary nor sufficient for transformational creativity in general, when using an inspiring set, rather than a sequence of experiences, an agent actually requires novelty for transformational creativity to occur.