Imagination

Links to AoK

Neurology perspective

Mental images

Is imagination reliable as a WoK?

Strengths

Limitations

The arts

Mathematics

Makes us able to create and understand metaphors

Makes us able to empathize --> we are able to imagine how the other person is feeling

Helps us visualize, which can make it easier to remember certain information

Imagine future success = work harder for current goals

Helps us solve abstract problems by coming up with new solutions

Imagination = new ideas arise = innovation

Can be a component of escapism = ignore real-life problems

What you imagine may be dependent on your personal experience --> insufficient knowledge

Can cloud your judgement by coming up with ideas that ignore simple logic

Play a role in pessimistic thinking --> constantly imagine worst case scenarios

May lead to unlikely/ improbable solutions to problems

Unrestrained imagination is not possible

Can distort the truth

Imagination is requires for creativity, and thus makes it necessary for creative expression in the arts

Finding patterns, representing patterns, making assumptions and changing perspectives

Children's early develop of mathematical reasoning

Mathematics as a concept of truth

The abstract understanding of numbers begins with mental representations of counting. Therefore the first interaction of children with mathematics begins with Imagination.

Mathematics is an area of right or wrong. It uses reasoning to investigate and solve

BUT, imagination takes a big part of mathematics, as it appears to be the base of many forms of mathematical truths like axioms. Axioms = statements that are taken to be true because they are used as a premise for further mathematical investigation.

Imagination = essential component in creative thinking & innovation

Branches of mathematics where imagination is key: imaginary numbers, algebra, infinite sets

E.g. musicians rely on imagination to compose new music. The same notes have been used many times throughout history but each musician imagines them together to sound a different way.

Children vs Adult Imagination

Claims say that imagination is most active when we are young children

Claim: Reason inhibits our imagination

Definition: "Imagination = The capacity to form a mental representation of something without the stimulus of sense experience."

As children grow, they start gaining reason which then makes our imaginary side smaller. Reason constraints children's minds.

Imagination comes from links we make to past experiences. Hence, children's imagination (who lack life experiences) may then be more limited because they don't have reason or a framework.

Can be made up by any sensory input

We can use our imagination to create visual, auditory, olfactory or gustatory mental images by referring to past experiences

It is more difficult to come up with mental images of situations you have never experiences

Our brains must create new mental images and representation

Period of myelination

Dr Andrey Vyshedskiy explained that the brain’s ability to fuse different mental images is possible because of myelin (an electrically insulating layer of nerve cell axons). The thicker the layers of myelin, the greater velocity of electrical signals travelling down the neural fibres.

E.g. mental image of a campfire --> able to scent the smoke, the marshmallows burning, tc.

The most rapid period of myelination is during early childhood = vivid imagination

Thinking creatively = neurons work together to construct and piece together mental images.
The brain takes familiar images and fits them together in new ways

Mental synthesis

Neuronal ensemble

​When we look at an object, thousands of neurons become active in the prefrontal cortex. These neurons carry a code containing the characteristics of the object we are seeing. When we try to imagine the same object later, the same neurons will reactivate.

Creativity and imagination

Imagination and creativity are dependent on each other (one cannot exist without the other)

OR
Creativity = purposeful act motivated by a drive to produce innovative and useful ideas
Imagination = can sometimes lack purpose and potentially lead anywhere

Occurs when you try to imagine something you have never seen before

Conscious process (driven by the prefrontal cortex) which creates a new image by combining other images that are stored in memory

Visualization = Purposeful formation of a mental image of something. It is a technique often taught in sports and in this context is known as mental rehearsal or motor imagery.

Motor imagery = A mental process in which we rehearse or simulate a given action

Mental rehearsal = The use of imagery to practice an act mentally