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Humans are nothing more than advanced in the department of pattern recognition. Creative thought is no more than random interference of ideas. We are just quicker at this pattern recognition, as well as more adept at random interference. Humans are nothing more than chimps with faster brains.

Tangent 1: Pattern Recognition

How do we learn anything? We learn things through patterning. If we hear a car when we're crossing the street, we turn to see if there is one coming. Why? Because the probability of there being a car coming is high when one is heard, as we learn through pattern recognition. Through spending time around cars, we begin to realize that when there is a certain sound, there is usually a car. Additionally, we further discover that depending on what sound is made, a different car makes it, going at a different speed. All of this is pattern recognition.

Indeed, the entire foundation of the scientific method is based upon this cornerstone: A pattern is discovered, and then scientists attempt to find a counterexample or prove that it is true in all cases. If they prove it in all cases, then they create a general rule, often known as a natural law. Mathematicians do the same with number theory.

*Math Warning!*
Let's say that we just discovered an interesting phenomenon: Every odd number squared minus one, is evenly divisible by eight. That is to say that if k is any integer, then 2k+1 will be odd. Thus, ((2k+1)^2 - 1)/8 gives you an integer. The question becomes, why? And if so, can we prove it?

Quick answer: Because it does, and we can prove it.

Long answer: ((2k+1)^2 - 1)/8
= (4k^2 + 4k + 1 - 1)/8 Expansion of the bracket
= (4k^2 + 4k)/8 Addition of 1 and subtraction of 1 “cancel”
= 4(k^2 + k)/8 Factorization of 4
= (k^2 + k)/2 Simplification of the fraction
= (k+1)(k)/2 Factorization of k
Now, at this stage the proof takes a little bit of logic (which, itself, is pattern recognition). If k is odd, then k+1 is even, and hence divisible by two. If k is even, then k is divisible by two. Regardless, the final expression is always divisible by two.
*End of Math*

Double Tangent 1: Logic And Pattern Recognition

All of our logic can be classified as Aristotelian, which is to say that if a=b and b=c, then a=c. Think it through for a moment. If I love pizza, and pizza is my lunch, (and these are the only two factors), then I will love my lunch. Again, if I only love pizza and pizza is not my lunch, then it stands to reason that I will not love my lunch.

Now, how was this discovered? One possibility is that someone noticed that if one thing is true, and another is true, then together they are true. If the grass is green, and trees are green, then trees and grass are both green, so therefore they are the same colour. As the person saw more examples of this, they created a general theory of logic.

An alternate theory is that a person may have been asleep and then simply woke up with the idea which was inspired by a dream. This is known as spontaneous generation, and is often attributed to creative thought. But that is just random interference, and is not unique to humans.

Tangent 2: madRon recinnerfeet

Snakes on a Plane. There's a part in the movie, "Do you remember all those terrorists simulations? Well, I'm smack in the middle of one we didn't think of," or something along those lines. Upon seeing the trailers, I began to think that someone should do a parody and use the exact same quotes as those in the trailers, but instead of having the whole thing take place on a plane, have it take place in a field. The new movie would be called "Snakes on a Plain."

Now, some may call this creative thought, but instead I believe that it is random interference; the meshing of two ideas together in random configurations until one is found that works, and all other ones are rejected. I took the name, my subconscious looked through my mind to find things to associate with it, randomly encountered the word plain, substituted it, and voila.

This idea is so well known, computer programmers have used it. One computer programmer took this idea, wrote some code, and now the software can be put into any robot with limbs, and eventually the robot will find how to move the limbs most effectively through this method. No additional programming is needed, and if a limb should be removed, the software adapts through the same method.

Double Tangent 2: I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

The human mind does random interference all the time, although it is more associated with the subconscious than conscious. When we dream, we take the day's events and randomly intersect them with each other. Through this, we discover things that we normally would not have, and make connections in a similar manner.

In the same way, we do this on a daily basis in everything we do. All creative thought can be traced back to random interference.

Tangent 3: Bananas? Chimps And Chumps

In general, we're no different than animals. They may take 150 tries to see that they cannot go one way, but the next time they only take 100 or so. This is simply pattern recognition, albeit at a much slower rate that us highly evolved humans can. Animals, our distant cousins, work the same way we do, in regards to pattern recognition.

Do they have creative thought? Obviously they must, if all it is is random interference. Proof of this is found all over the animal kingdom, such as the gorilla who signed "tomato toothpaste" for ketchup.

Summation:

As far as I can see, we are no more "evolved" than any other animal, except in the fact that we can "learn" quicker than other species. We all use pattern recognition, and we all experience random interference. If you, however, would care to disagree, then please do comment on this blog. I will use my previous ascertained knowledge on the English language (through pattern recognition) to reply to you in hopefully witty way (barring any unforeseen problem with my ability to experience random interference). Oh, and good luck on finding the pattern in my title.