Is it possible to have an original thought?

Many of our thoughts are reactions to a singular external stimuli e.g. You see a flower and you might think "pink" or "beautiful." You see the ocean and might think "vast" or "moving."
Some thoughts are more complex and are reactions to memories of external stimuli and combined with other memories e.g. "Imagine an ocean made up entirely of undulating flowers."
But what about an original thought? A thought that's not a reaction to any external event or object. Is it possible to form a thought from nothing?

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Faust76 · 46-50, M

There is some kind of quantum theory of mind which is often evoked to try to justify free will; of course, more often than not this just indicates total lack of understanding of quantum mechanics, not to mention parroting bad science instead of coming up with original thought ;)
I think there are more interesting questions elsewhere. Indeed, to quote, 'This concept has been traced to the 12th century, attributed to Bernard of Chartres. Its most familiar expression in English is by Isaac Newton in 1676: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."', the idea of combining and refining information is not exactly new, but I'm not sure if there's been much thought put into how this and genius exactly works; at least in the way that free will and quantum mechanics have gripped the public consciousness.

Magnolia · 31-35, F

I hadn't heard about quantum mechanics relating to free will. It sounds interesting so I'll have to look it up, baring in mind you say it's not scientifically accurate.

Faust76 · 46-50, M

@Magnolia:

Magnolia · 31-35, F

LOL that's a good one. Have you seen that "documentary" which was massively popular a few years ago 'What the Bleep Do We Know?'
It's a shame that it was so popular because it was just 2 hours of anti-science, describing itself as quantum theory.

Faust76 · 46-50, M

@Magnolia: https://www.quantamagazine.org/20170207-bell-test-quantum-loophole/ is pretty crazy and I didn't have time to read it yet, but...

Magnolia · 31-35, F

@Faust76: Thanks, I'll be sure to read that.