[Neurophysiology of inspiration: a chapter of the relations between since and literature around 1900].
How does the literary inspiration phenomenon find an explanation around 1900? As an unexpected glimpse of imagination, is inspiration opposed to the idea of making? Does the individual attend as a passive spectator the work of his motive system or is he its master? Can we suppose that the opposition between automatic and self-willed language is legitimate? By investigating models of physiological psychology, which are focused on the brain and the nervous system, we will try to answer these questions. And by reading some doctor's, neurologist's and philosopher's writings, we will go in search of a concrete representation of the literary inspiration phenomenon. Indeed, if inspiration is a process which results from an organic motive combination, as several scientists seem to consider, it should be visible enough to have its own physiological model. We shall nevertheless see that the investigation of these models reveals interests which largely overstep the bounds of science. Thus, between rigour and dreaming, illness and health, neurological physiology and creation, we realise that the literary inspiration phenomenon does not find its place among the positive facts.
Piccand
Marc
M
Institut romand d'histoire de la médecine, 1, chemin des Falaises, CH-1005 Lausanne.
D001319:Authorship; D003405:Creativity; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008091:Literature / Q000266:history*; D009482:Neurophysiology / Q000266:history*; D013557:Switzerland; D014956:Writing / Q000266:history*