A classic controversy in the study of outstanding achievement concerns the importance of the cultural milieu in the emergence of genius. The current inquiry addresses this debate by investigating the correlation between an individual's eminence and his or her location within a cultural growth pattern or "configuration." In particular, the posthumous reputation of 611 Japanese creators and leaders was examined with respect to the shape of the configuration defined by 1,631 lesser figures active in the same domains of activity. The local configuration was classified as a peak, a trough, an ascent, or a descent using both domain-specific and systemwide definitions. The most eminent individuals were more likely to emerge during systemwide ascents and were less likely to appear during domain-specific descents.
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