There is something very flattering, to the artist, in Schelling’s view of creativity. Put simply: the creativity of the artist is like the creativity of God. There can, however, be something disturbing, not so say embarrassing, about flattery. Even if one can be certain of the complete seriousness of the flatterer—and German philosophers tend to take themselves very seriously—one may feel a little uncomfortable in the face of what could be overflattery. Of course, the creativity of the artist may tell (...) us something about the creativity of God, if, indeed, God created the artist; however, to argue successfully the similarity between the two will require at least one assumption: namely, a similarity in the concept of person or personality in God and in the artist. (shrink)