ERIC Number: EJ1301515
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2291-7179
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Available Date: N/A
Tension in Chemistry and Its Contents
Hoffmann, Roald
International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, v4 n1-2 p109-120 Aug-Dec 2016
This article makes a case for a positive role of tension in the creative process in chemistry. I begin with an argument that there is an inherent tension in what makes molecules interesting--their positioning along various polar axes. One of these, the age-old differentiation between useful (to society and for personal profit) commercialization and pure understanding of molecules and their reactions is characteristic. The question of whether there are any bad molecules then leads me to ethical concerns in chemistry, and a particular working out of these in interactions of chemists in the Middle East. An analysis is made of the special tensions involved in publishing, especially in citation ethics; chemists publish a lot, so this is situation ethics worked out on a daily basis. I then find in the literature of psychology good evidence for the positive value of moderate stress in stimulating creativity. It is obvious that too much tension leads to distress, and there are some institutional aspects of chemistry that do not come out well here. But all in all, the dynamic middle is alive, and it leads to good new science.
Descriptors: Chemistry, Science Instruction, Creativity, Stress Variables, Molecular Structure, Ethics, Collegiality, Foreign Countries, Conferences (Gatherings), Journal Articles, Writing for Publication
International Centre for Innovation in Education (ICIE) & Lost Prizes International (LPI). Postfach 12 40, D-89002, Ulm, Germany. Web site: http://www.ijtdc.net/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Middle East
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