One way of describing a type of imagination is "creating a model of the world in our mind." When I am looking at a complex piece of machinery, I visualize how the parts interact with each other and with the material(s) passing through. (In my work, the material is mostly paper). When something is not working, I use my mental model to create ideas for how to adjust the machinery so that it functions properly again. I use the same sort of process of imagination when designing something: a tool or a set piece for the stage, or a project for the home.
Another type of imagination is more what one might call "daydreaming". It is about *doing* something: flying or interacting with one or more people. Again, there is vision, but also words, sensations, emotions. When cooking, I decide what to add based on imagination of what taste, aroma, texture, color and even nutritional value an additional ingredient might impart to the dish. All of those senses come into play in my "model of the world. But that model, I think, is mostly built from experiences that have been stored in memory. (I say mostly, because I also use intuition, which is what I call perceptions and knowledge that come to one in the moment if one is attuned to them. But intuition is a whole other topic!) On the other hand, when improvising music or theater, the imagination involved is not visual, or even conscious. There is no model, only the moment. If this is also a form of imagination, it is are very different from the others, but it is the process that, to me, seems the most creative. Not even I have any idea what I will do until I am doing it. I think of this sort of imagination as "becoming attuned to another reality" or "being a spiritual channel." (It may just be coming from my right brain, free from the analysis of the left brain, but I prefer to think of it as coming from "outside" of me, as that interpretation frees me from the need for analysis, pride, or embarrassment at what and how I have performed. All of those stifle the free flow of creativity for me.) On Feb 10, 3:56 pm, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > What is imagination? Is it useful and if so, how do you use it and/or > can it be a hindrance? > > In a brief discussion dedicated to imagination (De Anima iii 3), > Aristotle identifies it as “that in virtue of which an image occurs in > us” (De Anima iii 3, 428aa1-2), where this is evidently given a broad > range of application to the activities involved in thoughts, dreams, > and memories. Both Husserl and Sartre theorized imagination as > picture consciousness, and Sartre wrote two books on the imagination > early in his career, defining imagination as the synthesis of our > knowledge of and our intention, and imaginary objects as a "melange > of past impressions and recent knowledge" (The Imaginary 90) > > Dr. Carl G. Jung said, “All the works of man have their origin in > creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination.” > His psychology emphasized Active Imagination as a method for > visualizing unconscious issues by letting them act themselves out. > Active Imagination personifies the "parts" of us that are talking -- > to create more clarity or even resolution that might not be possible > with ordinary linear problem-solving. > > Cognitive psychology focused on mental imagery in the 1970s. Great > claims continue to be made, by some, for the healing powers of guided > imagery, whereby clients (or patients) are encouraged to visualize > particular scenes or scenarios thought to have therapeutic value > (e.g., Rossman, 2000). Guided imagery techniques have been claimed to > be effective for purposes ranging from chronic pain relief (e.g., > Fontaine, 2000) to breast enlargement and global spiritual renewal > (Willard, 1977; Ekstein, 2001) Currently, Noetic Science (the study > of how thoughts interact with the physical world) continues these > studies. > > Imagination is not limited to only seeing pictures in the mind, it > includes all the five senses and the feelings. Imagination makes it > possible to experience a whole world inside the mind. It gives the > ability to look at any situation from a different point of view, and > enables one to mentally explore the past and the future. Is > imagination the common thread that unites creative endeavors? > > According to the Dictionary of Philosophy of Mind : “despite being a > familiar word of everyday language, imagination is a very complex, > contested, and evaluatively loaded concept. It, like many cognate > terms, often appears to have radically different senses and > connotations when used in different contexts.” > > What do YOU think? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
