All posts tagged: imagination

The Rare Trait That Sits Between Talent And Intelligence That Sets True Geniuses Apart

The Rare Trait That Sits Between Talent And Intelligence That Sets True Geniuses Apart

Published by Jenni Sidey

Understanding philosophy can be an intellectually challenging endeavor, yet one man has made it his mission to make it more accessible to the masses. Julien de Medeiros takes phrases from noted philosophers and breaks down the meaning behind them. He recently tackled the philosopher Schopenhauer’s rule for determining genius, as opposed to talent.  19th-century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer viewed the world as fundamentally irrational and driven by desire. He believed people can find peace by resisting desire and focusing on compassion. He advocated for replacing desire with compassion, so we can reduce suffering and find stability for ourselves and our communities. There’s a rare trait that sits between talent and intelligence that sets true geniuses apart: how imaginative you are Schopenhauer’s famous quote dives into the difference between genius and talent, noting: “Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.” While being talented and intelligent means you work hard and think deeply, being a genius means you’re consistently imagining new versions of the world and inventing ideas that don’t …

Aphantasia study reveals the brain network responsible for visual imagination

Aphantasia study reveals the brain network responsible for visual imagination

Published by José Betancourt

People who lose their ability to conjure visual memories after a brain injury share damage that connects to a single, highly specific brain region. A recent analysis of these rare medical cases reveals that a structure called the fusiform imagery node acts as an essential hub for the human imagination. These results, published in the journal Cortex, help explain the physical origins of our mind’s eye. Most people can easily close their eyes and picture a childhood bedroom or the face of a loved one. This ability is known as visual mental imagery. It allows human beings to relive past events, solve spatial problems, and envision future scenarios without any external sensory input. However, a small fraction of the population lacks this internal visual experience entirely. This absence of a mind’s eye is called aphantasia. It occurs from birth in an estimated one to three percent of people across the globe. Individuals with congenital aphantasia live entirely normal lives, often realizing only in adulthood that other people can actually see pictures in their heads. In …

Imagination research bridges anthropology with future societal challenges

Imagination research bridges anthropology with future societal challenges

Published by skeptic

Imagination research in anthropology examines how culturally grounded stories, routines, and collective aspirations shape what communities see as possible—and worth fighting for—amid climate disruption, political upheaval, and other future-defining crises Imagination research uses ethnographic fieldwork, participatory methods, and memory work to connect past experience to present desires and future planning. Researchers track how narratives shift over time while addressing ethical risks such as misrepresentation and extractive storytelling. What is imagination research in anthropology? Imagination, as a lens, names an anthropological approach that examines how cultural narratives and collective aspirations shape understandings of the future and catalyse social change within specific communities. Imagination research in anthropology extends conventional fieldwork by tracing how people connect past experiences to emerging societal challenges, including ecological crises and political upheavals. It attends to creativity and speculative thinking as socially organised capacities, not merely individual fantasy, and examines how visions of possible futures are produced, contested, and enacted. Using ethnographic methods, anthropologists gather ethnographic insights into local stories, rituals, and everyday decision-making, situating future-oriented projects within historical and cultural frameworks. This …

Ape’s pretend tea party challenges long-held beliefs about animal imagination

Ape’s pretend tea party challenges long-held beliefs about animal imagination

Published by Jenni Sidey

In a new research paper published in Science, cognitive scientists from Johns Hopkins University reported on a bonobo’s ability to participate in shared imaginative play that was previously considered unique to humans. Christopher Krupenye, an assistant professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins, was one of the leaders of this research and received help from Amalia Bastos, now a lecturer at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In the course of the study, Kanzi, a 43-year-old bonobo currently living at the Ape Initiative, participated in many studies over his lifetime and has been shown to respond to spoken English by using a pointing gesture. During multiple controlled experiments conducted with Kanzi, he exhibited the ability to track and follow imaginary juice and grapes with his eyes, while understanding that the cups and jars were empty. “This is a groundbreaking discovery because it suggests they (bonobos) can think beyond their present,” said Krupenye. “Historically, imagination was considered a uniquely human trait. However, these findings indicate that this is not necessarily the case.” For …

Bonobo’s pretend tea party shows capacity for imagination

Bonobo’s pretend tea party shows capacity for imagination

Published by skeptic

Kanzi the bonobo at the age of 43 Ape Initiative A bonobo that took part in a pretend tea party like those acted out by young children has shown that our closest primate relatives have the capacity for make believe. Kanzi the bonobo (Pan paniscus) was born in the US in 1980 and died at age 44 in March last year. He spent most of his life at the Ape Initiative in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was renowned for being able to communicate by pointing at symbols on a board. In the year before he died, Amalia Bastos at the University of St Andrews, UK, and her colleagues ran a series of experiments aiming to understand whether, along with his superior language skills, Kanzi was also able to engage in what researchers describe as “secondary representations”. This is the ability to imagine an alternative reality and, in some situations, share that pretense with another individual – a skill that humans develop at an early age. At 2 to 3 years old, children can follow …

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Add Betrayal to your watchlist The last time I interviewed Shaun Evans, we both had a little cry. Me, because I’d been poorly and watching every episode of his peerless Endeavour had sustained me through three bedbound months. Him… well, because he’s a very nice man, and also because he recognised the import of saying goodbye to young Morse after nine series. We signed off saying, “We will speak again.” And now we do, three years later, when the first thing Evans does is enquire after my health. Like I said, he’s a nice man. But we’re here to talk about Betrayal, an espionage thriller/marital drama he has both produced and stars in. Evans’s character John Hughes, an MI5 agent battling on many fronts – fighting “voluntary” redundancy requests, struggling to save his marriage, all the while investigating a national security threat – has the same solitude and righteousness of his Endeavour, but in a very different, contemporary setting. John is often at home with his children and troubled wife Clare, where we see the …

The Benefits of Imagination | Psychology Today

The Benefits of Imagination | Psychology Today

Published by Jenni Sidey

Imagination enables us to think about possibilities and go beyond existing constraints. Imagination helps the decision-maker to mentally simulate possibilities, anticipate outcomes, and choose more wisely. Via imagination, we can safely explore new hypotheses or try out new strategies without the commitments that come along with actual implementation (Gosetti-Ferencei, 2018). Imagining possible futures Imagining the future enables us to evaluate alternative paths forward, anticipate how we would feel if they happened, and decide accordingly. For instance, by simulating a potential event (a job interview, holiday options) through mental imagery, we can “test out” potential emotional consequences. Imaginative emotions Imaginative thought allows us to see the future outcome. But it is imaginative emotions that motivate us to undertake the difficult journey to reach our goals. Having a vivid view of the future ahead can affect our motivation. Visual images are more emotionally compelling than words. For example, people who viewed age-progressed images of themselves expressed increased intentions to save for retirement (Sims, 2020). Creativity in problem-solving Imagination helps create different lenses through which to see the …

‘Imagination for the Other Fellow’ | Brenda Wineapple

‘Imagination for the Other Fellow’ | Brenda Wineapple

Published by José Betancourt

Illustration by Stuart Davis In his victory speech, Zohran Mamdani vowed to put forward “the most ambitious agenda” New York City had seen since the administration of Fiorello La Guardia, whom he’s unhesitatingly named its greatest mayor. Fans and pundits have frequently wrapped Mamdani in La Guardia’s mythic mantle: La Guardia too was a courageous maverick bent on delivering an honest government devoted to the welfare of the people and a man determined to provide New Yorkers with affordable housing, clean streets, and reliable public transportation. His accomplishments during his three terms as mayor were legion. Speaking out against cronyism and political hacks, La Guardia appointed highly competent, seasoned commissioners, from both parties, to an utterly bipartisan government. Under his watch fourteen new health centers and nine new child health stations opened, fourteen new piers and two sewage disposal centers were built, the city charter was revamped, the subway system consolidated, and, with the assistance of the New Deal, a huge public works initiative boldly launched, which included hundreds of new parks and playgrounds and …

The magic of maths: festive puzzles to give your brain and imagination a workout

The magic of maths: festive puzzles to give your brain and imagination a workout

Published by skeptic

Mathematics is a “science which requires a great amount of imagination”, said the 19th-century Russian maths professor Sofya Kovalevskaya – a pioneering figure for women’s equality in this subject. We all have an imagination, so I believe everyone has the ability to enjoy mathematics. It’s not just arithmetic but a magical mixture of logic, reasoning, pattern spotting and creative thinking. Of course, more and more research also shows the benefits of doing puzzles like these for brain health and development. Canadian psychologist Donald Hebb’s theory of learning has come to be known as “when neurons fire together, they wire together” (which, by the way, is one of the guiding principles behind training large neural networks in AI). New pathways start to form which can build and maintain strong cognitive function. What’s more, doing maths is often a collaborative endeavour – and can be a great source of fun and fulfilment when people work together on problems. Which brings me to these festive-themed puzzles, which can be tackled by the whole family. No formal training in …