AHA!

A crisply written study of how and why eureka moments can power intellectual breakthroughs.

After having written about modern-day stoicism, sculling, the deflection of brickbats and human desire, Irvine (Philosophy/Wright State Univ.; A Slap in the Face: Why Insults Hurt—And Why They Shouldn’t, 2013, etc.) now turns his attention to the interior flashbulbs that have supplied historical icons like Albert Einstein and Gustav Mahler, as well as our own modern-day geniuses, with significant epiphanies. While Irvine admits these insightful “aha moments” are indeed mysterious in nature, they are universally experienced and covetously perceived. The author diligently examines this phenomenon, showing how the unconscious mind is often responsible for the development of creative and productive ideas. He scours five unique domains where inspiration is essential: religion, morality, science, mathematics and art. He deftly explores each of these areas, analyzing how this “rush of discovery” can transform and thus validate one’s laboratory research or creative endeavor. Irvine also examines the sensation of the aha moment, its psychology and related neurological aspects, as well as varied theories as to its frequency and the roadblocks preventing these kinds of epiphanies from having a significant impact. The author examines his own experiences with hypnagogia (the transitional, often hallucinatory state from wakefulness to sleep), compares divine visions versus hallucinations, and amusingly includes noted contrarian journalist Christopher Hitchens when intersecting inspiration and morality. His surveys of historical events where aha moments have come into play have also been thoughtfully researched. In the book’s acknowledgments, Irvine humorously thanks and endorses his muses, rationalizing that “it’s hard to go wrong if you keep an open mind.”

Bright, absorbing look into a mystifying source of inspiration, the kind that often uncaps a wellspring of ideas and potential.