To most people the term discovering implies finding out.

Also, it is associated with a

certain level of surprise for the person who makes the discovery. Capturing the events
associated with discovery, a fitting description of the word would be; use of sensible facts to
build upon other facts towards the eventual understanding of the causal relationships.
Following the path to discovery it is important to look at the ways the individual(s)
involved think and the use of creativity as a vital tool while trying to achieve the knowledge
of the unknown as well as expected findings. Having touched upon the meaning of discovery,
it is also important to define what creativity is and make and relate the two concepts that is
discovery and creativity.
Firstly, creativity is a process rather than a one time thing such as kicking a ball of
pouring water out of a bottle but most importantly this two examples could be done
creatively after engaging in a process of thought that puts into use one or several elements
of creative thinking. A news corporation may report that a painter has discovered a certain
association of colours undocumented in the foundation art as an establishment, a
archeologist may discover a cadever aged millions of years while at the same time Newton
discovers the law of gravity. Looking at this findings we can assess that a discovery can be
unexpected or made in an established area of research,. Nevertheless there is a weak or
strong link to creativity in terms of personality traits or habits of thought which are
attributed to creative thinkers.
According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy objects cts of discovery include
things, events, causes, theories, hypotheses and their features. Some unexpected discoveries
include; The Microwave - discovery by Engineer Percy Spencer while preparing a radar
equipment (the World War II was approaching). This was an accidental finding as the man
noticed that his chocolate was melting in his pocket. He the proceeded to make popcorn
using his machine. Christopher Columbus is famed for discovering America (isn't it
so?).Others are Robert chesebrough and Leo Baekeland who accidentally came up with
Vaseline and Plastic respectively. Some of the above mentioned discoveries may sound
ridiculous or even astonishing due to there unprecedented nature.
Rheinberger (1839) likely referring to the notion of discovery points out that they are
'unprecedented' events independent of anticipation and Intentions of those who observe
them.It is logical to obviate that whether occuring in fragmentary processes or in a moment,
the discovery is made during a period of time when several events upon which the mind
cannot for a given interval of thinking about a subject meaning is difficult to impose meaning.
This period is followed by gradual connection of ideas which in many cases are diverse in the
wide range of solution seeking or adventurous thought. A finding this can be made in the
midst of the creative process by a collector of botanical samples or after systematic
prospecting by a scientist.
What is now the general view of the concept of discovery will follow a trail spanning
from the 1800s, some philosophical views (on elements of discovery ) generated as theories
include Whewell's theory of discovery. Whewell (1840) proposes that discovery occers in
three stages which are; the occurrence of the 'happy' thought, its articulation and
development and lastly verification. The happy thought is synonymous with the unexpected
flow of ideas a poet or a mathematician receives after wandering in thought, trying possible
connections between different ideas to no avail. These then resort to a break from conscious
effort and after a long or short time the unconscious makes meaningful possibilities out of
collected resources. This moment the meaningful possibilities occur to a person is the happy
thought whewell seemed to refer to.
During the 20th century discovery was the, '... non-analyzable act of creative genius. '
As put by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Scientific Discovery, 2014).The role of
chance has been discussed above and the chance or opportunity appears after building on
known facts then tinkering with them in the wake of a problem or as a result of curiosity.
Non-analyzable above is used in the sense that creative habits are used to provide the
bearing but the real act of discovering is what makes unique of ones theory or invention as
to make it somehow unteachable (it happens by chance).
Recent research on discovery focuses on the process of articulating a new insight
based on the assumption that discovery is an extended process and attempts to understand
the origins of discovery . As Kuhn(1970 [1969] )states it :
A discovery is not a simple act, but an extended, complex process, which culminates in paradigm
changes. Paradigms are the symbolic generalizations, metaphysical commitments, values, and
exemplars that are shared by a community of scientists and that guide the research of that
community. Paradigm-based, normal science does not aim at novelty but instead at the
development, extension, and articulation of accepted paradigms. A discovery begins with an
anomaly, that is, with the recognition that the expectations induced by an established paradigm
are being violated. The process of discovery involves several aspects: observations of an anomalous
phenomenon, attempts to conceptualize it....

Analyzing the above quotation, the emergence of anomalie is the same as the point where
the limit of conscious effort is reached during the creative process. In scientific creation this
stage is reached when methods and theories or instruments used in the process cannot be
used in any way possible to resolve the situation. A novelty in artistic creation occurs when
the artist's thinking is inclined towards problem solution but is unable to make a probable
relationship between gathered knowledge and the other objects in our material world or the
metaphysical realm.
Einstein in a letter to Jacques Hadamard answers one question in particular about
words, language and the mechanism of thought. Written or spoken, language does not seem
to play any role in thought.Psychical entities which seem to serve as elements while thinking
and are more or less visual as well as being signs which can be manipulated. He proceeds to
expound on logical concepts and their connection between the signs or images. (Ghiselin
1978). Einstein talks of voluntary effort which a creative thinker wil indulge in trying to
establish or pinpoint, meaningful correlations.
This willful effort is tampered by confusion and difficulty arising from inconsistency
of prose. The flow of ideas seems may defy the plan the artist had in mind. A perfect
example would be Virginia Woolf's description as quoted in The Creative process . Her plan
for an upcoming novel fail and she decides to go forth without theory or plan. At that stage,
effort is futile and the events taking place take form later in what becomes the artist's
discovery. A new form of expression, a meaningful possibilitity sieved from endless others.
Recounting the above paragraphs, the one thing worth noting is that discovery is a
result of expansion of ideas, shift in perspective and extension of human insight. Inorder to
achieve these, a mastery of the field in which an individual operates is key.
It is possible to create a magnificent piece of art without assistance from an expert but
developments will be difficult to induce without prior knowledge of the fields requirements.
Obviously leading to incompatibility with the mainstream values.
After getting acquainted with the methods of work and the diverse instruments of work
, the choice of subject matter and a suitable theme follows. A long process of sorting out
ideas, naming and assigning characters may burden an author trying to expand insight into a
novel .The influx of ideas later as the work progresses and subsequent verification can turn
out to be successful. The discovery of of a new form
of expression is the discovery in this sense.
The necessity of creativity lends ease to discovery. It 'sets' the questions and marks out
the furthest extends of thought exploration. Discovery therefore is casting into the unknown
and hoping there are useful possibilites. Creative habits are a must when indulging in the
creative works. Concentration, open-mindedness, accuracy and maintaining consistency are
some of the traits of creative thinkers. The availability of opportunity is usually not far away
in time and space.
 References

Ghiselin, Brewster. (1952). The Creative process : a symposium. New York : New
American Library.

Vernon, P. E. (1989). The Nature-Nurture Problem in Creativity. New York: Plenum

Publishing Corp.

Csikszen, M. (1996). Creativity : flow and the psychology of discovery and invention.
New York :HarperCollinsPublishers.

J. Meheus, T. Nickles (Eds) (2009) Models of Discovery and CreativityOrigins: Studies in

the Sources of Scientific Creativity, 10-35https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3421-2

Scientific discovery (2014) SEP

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-discovery/#Aca

Nichol, L. (Ed.). (1998). On Creativity (1st ed.). Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203194713