The Origin of Invention

'Necessity is the mother of Invention', according to a well-known saying. The phrase entails three assertions, depending on which term is emphasized. First, it describes something that can transpire on the occasion of some urgent need presenting itself. Second, it explains what gives rise to creativity. Third, it invokes maternity as a metaphor for the way in which Necessity breeds Invention. The first of these seems uncontroversial, and its very assertion is a subtle reminder that taking action in the face of difficulty is preferable to doing nothing at all. The one curious aspect of the third is that the metaphor is never fleshed out to the extent that paternity is addressed. But perhaps the reason for that is that the parental connection between Necessity and Invention is questionable to begin with. The usual interpretation of the saw is that it explains the origin of inventiveness as a reaction to some problem, or, in other words, that creativity is a means to an end. It thus precludes the possiblity of spontaneity, and even of pure novelty. Such a contention is not surprising in a Newtonian or Behavioristic system, but even Darwinism agrees with it. For, evolutionary development for the latter is ultimately only a means to an end, namely survival. Hence, it, too, subscribes to the saying. But, if Evolution were an end-in-itself, it would hold that Invention is the not merely the product of spontaneous generation, but is the latter process itself. Its alternative maxim might then be: 'Invention is often adopted by Necessity.'