Are scientific and mathematical discoveries due to creativity

[Ricster55]

When I asked this question in another forum, some people argued that scientific and mathematical discoveries are born out of curiosity and a way to explain unknown elements that surrounds us. Others say it comes from originality. In my opinion, I think it does come from curiosity, but you have to be creative to come up with a scientific theory or mathematical theorem that logically makes sense, I don't know. What is your opinion. Are both the result of creativity and/or originality, or neither?

 

[BillTre]

I would agree with you that it involves both:

1. The curiosity as a driver of an investigative behavior, and
   
2. The creativity to generate a new understanding or explanation.

In addition, I would argue that testing any new ideas might also involve creating a new way to obtain data relevant to any new hypotheses. It might not however if already established techniques can be used in an obvious way.

 

[Arman777]

I'll say something else...I think in the early ages, it was an advantage of knowing some kind of basic math and science for trade, counting the food in the stock or in farming. So that, they invented numbers and observed the sky to create a calendar and etc.

We can think an awkward example. If we had total 4 fingers on our both hand, I can argue that our number system would be much different (not the math part of course).

But after a time, It was just curiosity, to know more. Which science was philosophy back then, hence we can say that people just wanted to understand their creation or existence on this planet. Which we may call it curiosity or a natural instinct to understand where we come from.