Creatività oltre le prestazioni: autismo, significazione pre-simbolica e limiti del cognitivismo

The concept of creativity has changed profoundly throughout history, oscillating between divine inspiration, brilliant talent, and— in the modern era—widely distributed cognitive capacity. After a brief review of these three main phases, the paper focuses on the redefinition of creativity introduced by the cognitive revolution, which has progressively interpreted creative activity in terms of internal mental processes, the construction of new symbolic representations, problem solving, and measurable performance. While this approach has produced influential models and consolidated assessment tools, it has also narrowed the scope of what is recognized as creative. The essay then compares this cognitive conception with an embodied perspective, according to which creativity emerges as a situated process of signification, rooted in bodily, material, and temporal constraints, often preceding symbolization. Through the case of autism, it shows how creative processes can take atypical forms that elude performance-based measures, even as authentic modes of meaning-making. The analysis suggests that the embodied approach offers greater conceptual sensitivity in capturing forms of creativity that develop beyond standardized notions of performance.