Teaching Computational Creativity Margareta Ackerman1, Ashok Goel2, Colin G
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Teaching Computational Creativity Margareta Ackerman1, Ashok Goel2, Colin G. Johnson3, Anna Jordanous3, Carlos Le´on4, Rafael P´erezy P´erez5, Hannu Toivonen6, and Dan Ventura7. 1 Computer Engineering Department, Santa Clara University. [email protected]. 2 School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Tech. [email protected] 3 School of Computing, University of Kent. fC.G.Johnson, [email protected] 4 Department of Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, Complutense University of Madrid. [email protected] 5 Depto. de Tecnolog´ıasde la Informaci´on,Universidad Aut´onomaMetropolitana. [email protected] 6 Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki. [email protected] 7 Computer Science Department, Brigham Young University. [email protected] Abstract • Master theoretical and conceptual tools for analysing and discussing creative systems The increasing popularity of computational creativity (CC) in recent years gives rise to the need for educa- • Develop and understand one's own creative processes tional resources. This paper presents several modules that together act as a guide for developing new CC • Become familiar with the latest advances in CC, and courses as well as improving existing curricula. As well be able to critically discuss current state-of-the-art as introducing core CC concepts, we address pedagog- • Become able to create CC systems and/or techniques ical approaches to this interdisciplinary subject. An accessible overview of the field lets this paper double • Gain the ability to describe, employ and debate as an introductory tutorial to computational creativity. methods for evaluation of computational creativity • Be able to identify appropriate contexts for using CC Introduction In what follows, we offer examples of extant CC sys- As computational creativity (CC) grows in popular- tems that can be used as archetypes for introducing ity, it is increasingly being taught in some form as a key questions in the field; discuss different modeling university-level course. However, at this point, there approaches and how they provide complementary ac- does not exist any cannonical pedagogy nor accepted counts of the theory; address human vs. computational textbook for the subject; thus it may be useful to begin creativity and how both play a role in CC education; a discussion on pedagogy, topics, best practices, etc. discuss some key AI techniques and issues that may be We feel that a CC course is clearly an important part appropriately integrated into a CC course; provide some of the study of (at least) artificial intelligence (AI), and examples of lessons learned, sample assignments and offer some talking points to explain why: suggested best practices; and discuss interdisciplinary • It provides a method of approaching AI holistically. approaches to CC education. • It may appeal to traditionally underrepresented This paper is aimed at: groups in CS and related fields, e.g. female students. • CC researchers who would like to teach computa- • It is a next step in building more robust intelligent tional creativity but may not be sure where to start; systems. • Those who already teach CC, who would like to ex- • It broadens views of constituent parts of intelligence. pand and further develop their courses; • It allows students the opportunity to critically reflect • Researchers new to CC, but perhaps familiar with AI about human and computer creativity (which may or related fields, who would be able to use this paper help improve their own creativity). as a starting point to learn about the field. • Being interdisciplinary, it exposes our students to other fields of study, which helps expand their hori- Introducing Computational Creativity zons and allows them to experience new perspectives. What is computational creativity, and how should we To begin the discussion, then, we offer the following introduce it to our students? We present a working defi- as a guide list of learning objectives for a CC course: nition and select several systems that can be introduced • Begin to think about computation in new ways in a CC course to illustrate central ideas in the field along with discussion questions targeting these ideas. • Understand central questions and challenges in com- We discuss several philosophically differing approaches putational creativity (intentionality, evaluation, ab- to CC. Lastly, we mention connections between CC and straction vs. domain specialization, sociality, etc.) human creativity, which provide another accessible en- • Understand the difference between mere generation try point into this field while revealing some of its in- and computational creativity terdisciplinary facets. Defining Computational Creativity be regarded as creative? Would a system's outputs Recently the PROSECCO research network has de- be regarded as creative if generated by a child? fined computational creativity as \an emerging field • DARCI (Norton, Heath, and Ventura 2013). What that studies and exploits the potential of computers to be role does intention play in creativity? How do percep- more than feature-rich tools, and to act as autonomous tual grounding and communicating intention relate? creators and co-creators in their own right. In a CC system, the creative impetus comes from the machine, • IDEAL (Goel and Bhatta 2004) How do designers not the user, though in a hybrid CC system a joint impe- generate and evaluate design ideas for novel prob- tus may come from both together."(Intro to CC ). How- lems? What role does analogical thinking play in ever, the definition of computational creativity has a idea generation? What role does systems thinking complex and argued history, and indeed debates around play in evaluating a design idea? its definition—or simply the definition of creativity tout • MILA (Goel and Joyner 2015) How do scientists court|can be an interesting way to engage students in make new discoveries? And model observed phe- the subject, much as arguments around the nature of nomenon? How can we support citizen scientists and intelligence can enlighten a discussion of artificial intel- student scientists in conducting authentic science? ligence. Below we present several alternate approaches • Poem Machine (Kantosalo et al. 2014) How can a to defining CC that can be used to spark this discussion. computer and a human collaborate in co-creating? Complementary to giving a formal, intentional, defi- What does it take to transform a creative system to nition of CC is to provide examples of systems that have support human-computer co-creation? Can creative been argued as being creative and to engage students authorship be shared? in discussions about why these systems are, or are not, creative. Furthermore, an interesting contrast can be • Artificial Creativity (Saunders and Gero 2001) How drawn with human creative systems; taking a CC sys- do societies of creative agents behave? When is cre- tem and a human system with similar types of outputs, ativity an emergent property of a society? and considering whether one is creative and the other • ER-Model (P´erezy P´erezand Sharples 2001). Can not, is an interesting and informative exercise. a computer model of creativity be used in multiple Some of the systems that we have found useful|and domains? What are the differences and similarities the CC topics/questions that they are useful in intro- between those implementations? ducing to students| include: • The Painting Fool (Colton 2012). Is it necessary for Approaches to Computational Creativity CC systems to be able to explain their creative deci- Several different approaches to computational creativ- sions? How can a CC system draw on external world ity have been proposed. Here we discuss some notable knowledge? Does engaging with artworld economics approaches suitable for introducing CC. In particular, help us value the creativity of a CC system? we contrast the operational, product-centered approach • AARON (McCorduck 1991). To what degree can a with the cognitive perspective that focuses on the cre- system of parameterised outputs and constraints be ative process. Another popular model, expressing cre- considered to act in a creative way? Where does the ative methods as a search problem, is also discussed. creativity lie in a system that has been developed over Cognitive vs. Engineering Approach One ap- several decades, where the outputs from the system proach to the problem of computational creativity have influenced the development of the system? might be characterized as operational, as the study and • Emotive music generation (Monteith 2012). How im- simulation, by computational means, of behaviour, nat- portant is evoking an emotional response in an audi- ural and artificial, which would, if observed in humans, ence for an artistic CC system? Does it matter that be deemed creative (Colton and Wiggins 2012). As Jor- computers can't \feel" the emotion? Does a human danous points out, from this perspective \the challenge creative artist need to be able to feel the emotion that is to engineer a system that would be judged to be cre- they are aiming to engender in their audience? ative by its audience, rather than engineering a sys- • Experiments in Musical Intelligence (Cope 1996). tem that possesses a level of creativity existing indepen- What kind of creativity can be generated by analysis dently of an audience's perception" (Jordanous 2012b). and abstraction from a corpus of existing material? In general terms, this kind of approach employs math- Where does pastiche end and creativity begin? What ematical models and engineering methods. is the role of inspirational examples in CC systems? A second approach might be characterized as an in- terdisciplinary study of the creative process employing • Mexica (P´erezy P´erez1999). What are the differ- computers as the core tool for reflection and generation ences between the creativity needed to create struc- of new knowledge (P´erezy P´erez2015a). This per- tures (e.g. for stories) and that for creating language? spective emphasizes the importance of contributing to • The Joking Computer (Ritchie and Masthoff 2011). the understanding of the creative process.