"The prerequisite of originality is the art of forgetting, at the proper moment, what we know"

Creativity often flourishes not merely through the accumulation of knowledge, but through the selective release or suppression of it. Koestler suggests that genuine originality arises when a creator consciously chooses to set aside habitual ways of thinking, established patterns, and familiar solutions. The act of forgetting, in this context, does not denote ignorance or the absence of knowledge. Instead, it implies an intentional suspension of what is already known, a sort of mental clearing that makes space for the unexpected leap, the novel combination, or the unconventional approach.

Human minds are naturally inclined toward pattern recognition and efficiency, which allows us to handle familiar tasks with minimal effort. However, this tendency can also become a constraint, causing us to see problems in terms of pre-existing frameworks and solutions. True creativity often demands that we disrupt these patterns, temporarily unlearn rules and conventions, and permit ourselves to see with fresh eyes. Such productive 'forgetting' is an art: it must be employed judiciously, at the moment when clinging to the known will stifle innovation rather than support it.

For artists, scientists, writers, or anyone engaged in creative endeavor, the challenge lies in discerning when to rely on expertise and when to embrace the uncertainty that comes with letting go of it. The mind, momentarily freed from the gravity of prior knowledge, can forge new paths and possibilities. What emerges is work that is not simply derivative, but that stands apart, marked by genuine insight.

Thus, originality does not spring from ignorance, but from mastery so deep that it allows the practitioner to set aside the scaffolding of learned information. In doing so, one may access ideas that are less constrained, more imaginative, and, in the end, truly original. Such forgetting is not a loss, but an intentional opening to creation.