Where Do Ideas Come From? An Exploration of their Origins

The question of where ideas originate has intrigued people for centuries, leading to diverse theories and approaches to harnessing the creative process. While several contemporary “life hackers” will fill shelves in bookstores with the secrets for idea generation and productivity, the topic is a lot more nuanced than that.

René Descartes, a 17th century French philosopher, devised the Theory of Ideas which provides a foundation for understanding where they might originate from. According to Descartes, the mind is an existing (finite) substance, and thought or thinking is its attribute. In terms of his ontology, the mind is defined by its capacity for thought in which ideas are modes of thinking. Contrary to Plato’s thoughts on this topic, who regarded ideas as the most real entities in the cosmos, Descartes considered ideas to be among the least real, occupying the lowest rung on his ontological ladder.

In his work, Descartes explores the various modes of thinking, dividing them into simple and complex modes. Ideas fall under the category of simple modes; whereas doubting, judging, and other mental processes are categorized as complex modes. Descartes' description of ideas as images of things that represent their objects without necessarily resembling them is essential to his theory - for example, when considering ideas such as the idea of God, which are not visual images.

Descartes went on to distinguish between three kinds of ideas: innate ideas, adventitious ideas, and factitious ideas.

• Innate ideas are present from birth, independent of experience, and are believed to be implanted in the human mind by God, making them certain and indubitable;

• Adventitious ideas arise from interactions with the external world through the senses, resulting from encounters with external objects or events;

• Factitious ideas, on the other hand, are created through imagination and reflection. They are not based on sensory experience or innate knowledge but are formed through mental processes such as reasoning, conjecture, and supposition.

Descartes posited that innate ideas form the foundation of human knowledge, with adventitious and factitious ideas building upon this base.

Throughout history, people have sought ways to "hack" idea generation. Thomas Edison, for example, employed an unconventional napping strategy to access thoughts that occurred as he drifted off to sleep. He held metal balls in his hands while napping, hoping that they would fall to the floor and wake him as he fell asleep, allowing him to remember the fleeting thoughts that often go unremembered.

More recently, Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, has demonstrated the power of sleep in memory consolidation and ideation. According to Walker, REM sleep enables the mind to create associations and derive creative insights, which explains why some people have made groundbreaking discoveries and won Nobel Prizes based on dream-inspired insights. Walker describes the stages of memory processing during sleep: non-REM sleep locks in new information, while REM sleep fuses new information with existing knowledge. During REM sleep, the mind creates a revised web of associations, engaging in what Walker calls "memory pinball," where new memories are launched and associations are tested. This process allows for the formation of creative insights and solutions to previously impenetrable problems.

For decades now, the advertising industry has served as an idea incubator, where clients approach agencies for ideas that can deliver on commercial goals and potentially change the course of things. Advertising agencies are known for employing the brightest creatives in the world, with clients seeking to tap into their brains to create innovative concepts that can not only achieve their marketing objectives but hopefully also send waves into culture and society.

Sometimes, a simple idea can indeed alter the trajectory of culture. Nike's "Just Do It" campaign is one such example. The slogan, which originated from the final words of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer, transformed Nike's brand and became an enduring call to action that inspired countless consumers. The famous Nike slogan was created in 1988 by the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, who was tasked with developing a new campaign for Nike as it struggled to compete with the growing popularity of Reebok. Dan Wieden, one of the founders of Wieden+Kennedy, was struck by Gilmore's final words, "Let's do it," and later modified the phrase to "Just Do It" for the Nike campaign. The "Just Do It" campaign resonated with consumers, motivating them to take action and pursue their goals. The slogan has since become synonymous with Nike and has been used in countless ads and marketing campaigns, cementing its place in popular culture as one of the most recognizable and influential brand slogans of all time.

In the pursuit of great ideas, it is crucial not to discount any sources. Ideas can come from anywhere, as Wieden has shown us, but they require active engagement and thought. As Descartes argued, an idea is a mode of thinking, which necessitates work. Thus, it is essential to show up every day and think.

While creatives and strategists are always buried in work, it is important that agencies make time to expose them to a wide range of experiences and perspectives. Engaging with various disciplines, cultures, and viewpoints can stimulate the mind and lead to not only great new ideas, but also a more culturally attuned industry.

While quantifying the value of great new ideas might prove impossible to do, it’s unquestionable that there’s no ceiling as to what they can achieve.

PPA