Turn to page 187.

Hey students.

My name is Professor Greg, and I’ll be your guest instructor for today’s lecture.

Take out your textbooks and flip to page 187.

Can someone read the first sentence out loud?

Yes, you in the black tee shirt with the wavy smiley face. Do you even know who Kurt Cobain is? No, forget it. Please read the top of page 187.

Thank you! Can you explain what it means?

Yes, that’s correct. Matter cannot be created or destroyed. Same with energy. They can only change form.

That means one of two things.

Either all matter and energy has always existed and was never created, or…

There was a point where suddenly all matter and energy just started existing.

True. We’re not sure which, but we have more evidence for the latter.

Yes, you with the blue hair. What’s that? No, we’re not talking about that today. Sit down please.

Where was I? Oh yes, mixing matter and energy.

We do this all the time. Chemical 1 mixed with chemical 2 becomes chemical 3.

Does anyone know what this is called?

Yes, you with the round frame Harry Potter glasses.

No, not alchemy. That’s something different. Hold that thought.

When we are mixing matter, we call it chemistry.

Next, everyone please flip to page 554. Who would like to begin reading?

You, with the broccoli haircut. No, it looks fine, please begin reading. Page 554.

Thank you!

Correct, we jumped from matter and energy to information.

Now, does everyone understand that information is a different thing than matter or energy?

But that information is another thing that exists?

We build electronics that manipulate matter and energy in specific ways, to transmit information.

If the electronics malfunction, the information is corrupted or lost.

There’s a difference between listening to alt grunge on the radio, or getting static.

The difference is the information that the device is transmitting.

Information is a separate thing than matter or energy, but it definitely exists.

Because if it doesn’t, why are all of you taking out unforgivable $100,000 loans to sit here?

You’re here for information, right?

Now think hard about this.

What does it mean to create information?

No, think it through before you raise your hand.

Did Kurt Cobain create “All Apologies”?

How?

He did not create the key of D Major.

He did not create any of the individual words in the lyrics.

Instead, he assembled these things in a new way.

The notes. The lyrics. Arranged in a specific order.

A new creation.

A new piece of information.

I see heads nodding.

Are you getting this?

What we call creativity, the type of creating we have access to, is simply clever rearrangement of other things.

Things that already exist.

We cannot create in the same way as matter or energy popping into existence.

Hand down, blue hair. I said not today.

Where was I? Ah yes, creativity.

Creativity is clever combination.

Yes, Harry Potter glasses guy, kind of like chemistry.

But not quite.

The clever combination of information that results in what we call creativity?

I like to think of it as Idea Alchemy.

You see, it’s part art, part science.

And pay attention, this next part is important.

When we do Idea Alchemy on information in our own heads, we get creativity.

But what happens when we do Idea Alchemy on information in someone else’s head?

Stay with me.

You have information in your head, no?

What if I insert a new piece of information, like I’m doing in this lecture…

…one that is designed to combine with and modify the information you already hold?

The result feels like an “ah hah!” to you.

I just created a new piece of information in your head.

What will that new piece of information prompt you to do?

It depends, doesn’t it?

Here’s the takeaway for today’s lesson.

-What we call creativity is really clever combination of existing information.

-I call it Idea Alchemy because it sounds cool.

-Once you become skilled at these clever combinations, you can use them to create new things.

-You can also use them to embed specific ideas in someone else’s head.

Yes, broccoli head, I think you’re right.

This information might actually be worth the $100,000 you owe.

No time for questions today, but I’ll be holding office hours next week…for an additional fee.

We’ll do a deep dive into Idea Alchemy. I’ll teach you everything I know.

Can you raise your hands to let me know if you’d like to come?

Nerds only. My office is only so big.

I’ll share the final details soon.

For now, just let me know if you want to attend.