Edward Werner Cook
Professor of Chemistry, Tunxis Community College, Farmington, Connecticut.
For inspiration, I would suggest innovation – the ability to relate disjointed observations and see a connection – lateral thinking. To shock my students who believe they are good observers, I tell them to put their calculator and cellar phone side by side and look at the numeric keypads. How are they different?For perspiration, compulsive behavior- going further than others in search for a solution.
My comment “Invention is simple”, doesn’t mean that it is simple to invent but that it is simple to distinguish invention from discovery – here, anyway. Invention is easy. Baekeland obtained a patent and that’s the best definition of invention. Discoveries are finding “something” existing in Nature. As such, you can only hope this is named after you for bringing its existence to the world. A reward that can’t be banked, simply cherished. Genius is, well, worthy of considerable discussion! I would add “innovation” as notable and critical for invention.