In this bachelor thesis, we focus on the analysis of the concept of imagination, which originates from the greek word phantasia, we are exploring the original meaning of the word imagination and how it evolved over time. By shifting from phantasia to imagination, we analyze various influences that have contributed to the formation of the present meaning of the word imagination. At the core of this analysis is the notion of imagination as understood by and derived from the theory of Immanuel Kant and Hannah Arendt. Through their theories we initially analyzed imagination as a mental faculty and its role in cognition, and we revealed diverse dimensions of imagination which allow us to delve into the past or the future, and to put ourselves in the position of others. Kant’s conception of imagination allows us to begin an analysis of the relationship between politics and imagination, which we emphasize through the category of judgement of Hannah Arendt. Based on Arendt's theory, her conception of imagination gives us an insight of both the negative and positive effects of imagination. Arendt advocates a bounded imagination that ensures responsible action and judgment. In the bachelor thesis we conclude that imagination allows us to both create a world and question it, and that political thinking and action are possible only through imagination.
|