Discuss: Imagination.

reply to post by Dr Cosma

I imagine at one time there was a caveman that was imagining a way to make fire. Not to be outdone, there was probably another one imagining how nice it would be to make others pay to use that fire.

reply to post by Shepp

Are you saying I shouldn't trust the old man?

An alliance with the powerful is never to be trusted.

reply to post by Dr Cosma


Especially corrupt power.

reply to post by Shepp


Creations come from imagination, I don't see how the two can live without each other.
Imagination is important. Belief is different to imagination, imagination is a process which begins in the mind and belief one that begins in the heart.

That's what I think.

reply to post by Dr Cosma


What is that 'heart' part of us?

reply to post by Shepp


The emotions, the feelings.

Just like when you "love".

reply to post by Shepp


Ibn Arabi. A really long long story.

Here's a what-if for ya'. Leave your beliefs behind. I'm sorry if I open up doors that were meant to be closed..

What if imagination is a collective of realities in alternate world's or universes that we all have a connection to?

Let's say that consciousness is universal. All living things that were or are or will ever be have some sort of connection. Maybe not in the plane of our physical reality, but a deeper metaphysical conscious connection. We all share imprints of past memories or maybe even memories that have been lived out relative to some beings somewhere in some far away place/reality.

If this universe is infinite, or if there are infinite universes, with an infinite amount of conscious entities with an infinite amount of possibilities as to how those infinite amounts of realities are lived, then the collection of these infinite realities that are simultaneously occuring at this very moment, whilst being experienced by other conscious entities, is what imagination truly is.

What's imagination to us in our reality is in fact reality to other conscious entities.
Because all conciousness is connected, our "imagination" is simply our concious connection to the realities of others'.

This imagination of our physical reality is more of a science fiction. An imaginative ability to fly personified through visually experiencing birds flying. Seeing fish breathe underwater, grants us imagination to personify us as having capabilities of breathing underwater. Maybe, as of now, our imagination can only be tapped by observing the reality we only know of now, that of earth's. Through technologies and science and the things that we readily observe/know...

Think about it, most of our imaginations are of our waking reality that we perceive on our very own plane.

Maybe humans aren't meant to be able to tap into the grand consciousness of imagination yet. Maybe we haven't evolved enough, or something.
Or maybe we haven't figured out how to consciously use the entirety of our brain?

I look forward to the day that our imaginaion opens up beyond our own waking reality, and we can truly imagine the goings and doings of the stars beyond.

reply to post by 2Isee3rd


So you're suggesting there are things I can't even begin to think of not being able to think of because they're so unfathomable? Could totally be true. Maybe it's like an infinite regression of perception.

And the imagination being other worlds thing is interesting but I can't think of how to respond.

reply to post by Shepp


I believe things are beyond unfathomable, my friend. It's quite exciting, actually.
I woudn't say a regression of perception. More like an exponential expansion of perception aimed within. To percieve things beyond our waking moments, outside of the outside, so to speak.

Originally posted by Shepp
Some people think imagination is childish and useless. My perspective is that it is actually one of the most important faculties in the mind: It is the capacity to create.

What is it really? What are the true implications of such an ability? How does it tie in to everything else we discuss here? What do you think?

Perhaps the word needs to be redefined for us to theorize about it correctly.

edit on 26-11-2011 by Shepp because: (no reason given)

Some have beaten me to it.
The imagination is one of the most important faculties. It is the unbounded blank canvas upon which the seeds of the creative process relies upon to flourish...
At some point, the will (the practical, semi-conscious) tyrant of the mind family intervenes, and, gesticulates wildly, to draw the attention away from 'folly'.
Imagination, to be effective, needs training to be honed, sharpened, directed, cajoled - as opposed to unbridled imagination, which can become a raging torrent into which it is hard to escape, that which can BE imagined.
The imagination can be 'used' as a testing ground, what-if, gamut board...and as another poster has written, intent, applied in the direction of this 'virtual' world, will reap results commensurate with the amount of belief in this imaginations' efficacy and relevance.

The Will, is like a 'killjoy'. It is the practical/pessimistic/realist. It stifles the imagination, like the little imp on your shoulder that tells you, things are, too high, too deep, too hard, impossible, can't be done...the 'air' of imagination, under this condition, is quashed by the weight of 'sensibility'...

Nevertheless (in practice)...In a battle between the imagination, and the Will...the imagination always wins...

Put another way, your Will effectively prevents you doing the things that may 'attract' every possibility available...but it is the imagination which provides this unlimited, unbound gamut of possibilities...the Will provides nothing to this exercise, but limitation...the limitations generate thier own imaginings, which can then prevent action of any sort.

The Will is ruled by fear, the imagination is not...and it is in this fearless arena in which dreams come true (with a little directed intent)...and because it is unbound, it is also in this arena where nightmares come true.

Akishla