Abstract or concrete? Real or imaginary? Today, whenever we think of science or technology, we have the sense of real, concrete situations. However, the scientific development is closely associated with abstraction and the capacity for imagination. For instance, you never experienced seeing an atom before your very eyes. Not even one of the four forces of nature. On the other hand, for science, there’s no doubt about the reality of these entities, which are often the basis for technological applications.
Imagination is not what you think, but the way you think.
It is placed between our perception and our understanding of the world. More importantly, we do not see the world as it really is; we see it according to our senses. Cognitive research reveals that images, metaphors and stories are the basis of how our mind works: the origin of our intuitions and irrationality. Thus, to increase the relationships between information, we do not need more information; we must educate our imagination.
Imagination is the ability to think freely, without the chains of how we perceive the world. Over the centuries, humans have been able to construct, on an objective basis, a fictitious 'reality' (e.g. the notion of countries, money, companies, etc.). If there is something that sets us apart from other animals, it is the fact that we believe in fiction and we can form flexible corporations, as the Israeli historian Yuval Harari (1976- ) points out. It is through the ability to abstract -an important tool for science - that we are led to formulate problems in the right way, increasing the chance to find a solution.
Imagination seems to have no limits. In today's world, it creates innovations in our everyday lives, such as cell phones, computers and the Internet; It moves much of the entertainment industry; it allows us to dream of worlds and technologies still non-existent, such as in science fiction.
Free imagination is the ability to think for yourself, based on the knowledge already acquired. It is through it that science is related to philosophy, which is the study of the fundamental questions of nature and human existence. Science, however, is meant to pursue the truth, no matter where it takes us. In order to find it, we need imagination - and equal doses of skepticism.
We hope you enjoy the ‘Science Graffiti Wall’, give wings to your imagination, your ability to abstract and freely explore new concepts. Have a good time!
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
