Facial said:
From a social and literary perspective, yes, imagination exists as a separate realm.
I'm talking from the psychological point of view - as if imagination were literally dreams, which require input of sensory stimulus.
Well knowledge requires sensory input, imagination is required to be receptive to that knowledge.
Although of course all this is nonsense.
Humans possess some innate knowledge before birth, not as much as other species as we have larger brains and longer life spans and a greater ability to learn. Larger portion of brain dedicated to learning than any other species.
Meanwhile, all sensory input is recieved by the brain and stored in memory, we may not be consciously aware of massive amounts of data being recieved and stored or even be able to recall it at will, but in it goes. Knowledge therefore could be said to be icncidental, it 'happens' without stimulus, but sensory input is required.
Imagination will then facilitate the aquisition of greater understanding and assist us in aquiring new knowledge without furthur sensory input. How else would anyone invent anything?
Imagination the stuff of dreams or the accumulation of all that information being recieved into our subconscious minds?
Hmmm a circle, imagination the fruits of sensory input, knowledge the fruits of imagination? Knowledge the fruit of sensory input, imagination the fruit of knowledge.......hmmm yes, this would make it appear as though they are the same.
However, feeling cold causes feelings of anxiety (due to muscle contraction, build up of lactic acid = feelings of anxiety), and similarly feeling anxious can make us feel cold. Are cold and anxiety therfore the same...no.