Imagination

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Architecture Artists and art history Beauty and aesthetics Celebrations and festivals Creativity Dance Film Imagination Laughter and comedy Music Painting and sculpture Philosophy of art Photography Play Poetry Stories and literature The nature of reality Theatre and performance Traditional arts

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Blurry photo of a coastal scene with sandy beach rocks ocean and cloudy sky conveying a sense of motion or abstraction.

Neurodiversity

idea

I have no mind’s eye: let me try to describe it for you

With aphantasia, my mind’s eye sees only darkness, not images. It’s like missing a sense, and only imagination can compensate

by Neesa Sunar

Painting of large trees with exposed roots in a forest, sunlight filtering through leaves, house visible in the background.

Imagination

idea

Aphantasia can be a gift to philosophers and critics like me

Aphantasia veils the past and the future from the mind’s eye. That can be a gift to philosophers like Derek Parfit and me

by Mette Leonard Høeg

Black and white photo of a woman leaning out of an open window with shutters in an old building.

Focus and attention

guide

How to wait well

Instead of fuming in subjugated irritation, turn wait times into chances to connect, muse and think big about the future

by Jason Farman

Close-up of a colourful, abstract wool sculpture resembling a face with various textures and fibres extending outward.

Love

film

Making love strange to imagine it anew – a startling, award-winning animation

Directed by Anushka Naanayakkara

Photo of a man playing a violin in a columned, mosaic-tiled hall with people walking in the background.

Music

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Music is a philosophy, rich in ideas that language cannot say

Musical thinking offers a means for composing our lives and a philosophical foundation that embraces both sound and silence

by Xenia Hanusiak

Photo of a blue sky with scattered white clouds and larger clouds forming on one side.

Imagination

idea

See faces in the clouds? It might be a sign of your creativity

Long considered a sign of mental illness, ‘pareidolia’ or seeing patterns in randomness might be a useful measure of creativity

by René Müri & Nicole Göbel

Abstract figure with tree-like head, green patterned torso and outlined suit, against a black background.

Creativity

film

An improvised animation doubles as an absurdly fun lesson in creativity

Directed by Sasha Svirsky

Medieval manuscript illustration of a monk embracing a woman near a house surrounded by text and decorative elements.

Stories and literature

idea

Get medieval on your haters: lessons from Beowulf and Chaucer

When your reputation is at stake, get medieval on your haters: lessons from Beowulf, Margery Kempe and Geoffrey Chaucer

by Irina Dumitrescu

Impressionist painting of a family in a garden, with a child learning to walk, assisted by an adult, as another adult crouches down with outstretched arms.

Values and beliefs

idea

A philosophical approach can help you identify what truly matters

We’re often taught to live according to our values, but this is easier said than done without pausing to reflect deeply

by Valerie Tiberius

Painting of a radiant mandala-like design with a central circular scene depicting a tropical landscape framed by vibrant red, pink and blue hues.

Imagination

film

The street music of Montreal inspires an animator’s psychedelic joyride

A film by Ryan Larkin