"Studies in the Philosophy of David Hume"

This is an essay written by Keiichi Takaya
(IERG/Tokyo Women’s Medical University)

1. Imagination is usually mentioned, particularly in the context of education, as an active and creative capacity of the mind (or the person). So, when we read David Hume’s account of imagination – because he is one of the very few philosophers who dealt extensively with the concept—, we tend to be disappointed; his conception of the mind in general and of imagination in particular lacks the kind of significations we tend to associate with imagination.
However, I occasionally find in Hume some perspectives that make me critically reflect on the characteristics and tendencies of today’s concept of imagination, and, therefore, I like to sketch his general view on the concept and a few interesting points he made concerning imagination.

"The mind is like a kind of theatre, where several perceptions
successively make their appearance; pass, re-pass, glide away, and
mingle in an infinite variety of postures and situations."

(Treatise, Book I, Part IV, Section VI)

To read the complete essay: http://dev.papers.ierg.net/papers/393efd85c60cbb4839be4f4e40e0.pdf

Image designed by:
Patricia Ávila
From:
http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/Imagination.gif