Zach Kohler on the essential role that imagination plays in our experience of magic
04.03.2026 21:57
π 1
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Zach Kohler on the essential role that imagination plays in our experience of magic
The interplay between the processes of learning and creativity is a complex matter but, as Kerry Clark argues in this post at The Junkyard, developing the skill of imagination proves beneficial for both of these processes.
Avshalom Schwartz explores the philosophical insights that can be gained by taking a philological route to the study of the origins of imagination.
In a post written while watching the Superbowl, Neil Van Leeuwen explores why we are considerably more inclined to rewatch movies and other fictions than we are to rewatch sports.
Hannah Fasnacht builds on othersβ work on anticipatory grief to show that we can also grieve the impossible, i.e., we can have grief directed not at an actual person or object or something in the past, but rather at an imagined (im-)possible future that will never come to be.
Irene Lonigro, at The Junkyard, on whether we can imagine emotions that we haven't experienced before.
In the first post of 2026 at The Junkyard, Reza Hadisi explores SuhrawardΔ«'s views concerning the constitutive norm of imagination.
How big is a trillion? Grasping really big numbers is hard, but this week at The Junkyard Ansley Avis discusses how we can use imagination "to make these numbers more meaningful and clear for ourselves and others."
Dorothy Wade discusses her research into facets of the imagination that emerge in altered states of consciousness, research that she hopes will lead to new therapies for patients with delirium and thereby help them to cope "with the disturbing experience of the imagination going wild."
In this week's post at The Junkyard, Joshua Myers and Johannes Mahr argue that episodic construction is fundamentally compositional in nature, and they offer reasons that their Episodic Compositionality view is more plausible than an associationist alternative.
In this week's Junkyard post, Eric Peterson explores the connection between imagination and interpersonal knowledge; in doing so, he offers reasons to think that imagination might indeed have a unique epistemic end (contra some claims by Nick Wiltsher in a previous post on the blog).
World Philosophy Day | November 20, 2025 | Presidentsβ Challenge The APA divisional presidents and past presidents will match up to $3,000 in donations that the APA receives on World Philosophy Day, November 20. | Donate Now | apaonline.org/donate
Happy World Philosophy Day! The current presidents and past presidents of the APA Divisions will match up to $3,000 in donations that the APA receives today, November 20. Double your impact with a gift to the APA. Donate now: apaonline.org/donate
Ready to start thinking about summer? βοΈ
Issues in Philosophy of Memory 5 is headed to Purdue
June 10-12, 2026
Keynote lineup is π₯π₯π₯. Come join us!
Call for papers is live. 750 word abstracts, on any philosophical topic related to memory. Submit by Dec 20th!
Raquel Krempel discusses her work aiming to better understand aphantasic experience. This draws on studies she conducted (w/ collaborators) that compared aphantasics and controls when they were asked to describe their experiences trying to imagine and trying to remember something.
In this week's Junkyard post, Julia Minarik offers reasons to think that "machine-made images have less content than images created by human hands."
In this week's Junkyard post, Jianghao Liu attempts to bridge empirical neuroscience and philosophical accounts of imagination and awareness by defending what he calls *the attention model* of aphantasia.
This week at The Junkyard, Maria Fedorova explores the nature of psychedelic visions and argues that they are immersive mental simulations. "quasi-perceptual in terms of their phenomenology and imaginative with respect to their cognitive origin."
This week at The Junkyard, Luke Roelofs asks: What exactly do we do when we leave something to the imagination? And what is the βimaginationβ that things are being left to?
Sheila Pontis on how to harness the power of imagination to improve emotional well-being.
In this week's post at The Junkyard, Edvard Aviles-Meza argues that imaginative experience plays an important role in determining whether phenomenal consciousness overflows attention.
Noting the diversity of strategies that we use in empathizing with others, Sarah Vernallis argues that the roles of imagination in empathy are more varied than the standard story allows.
How can we learn through play? According to Lucia Oliveri, our learning owes to imagination. In her post for The Junkyard, she presents an argument for this claim inspired by the work of Comenius and Leibniz.
Niklas Maranca discusses his work to develop imagination games β formats that integrate perception, imagination, and reflection β towards the goal of showing how imaginative processes can be practiced, observed, and investigated in a structured yet experiential way.
Seth Goldwasser reviews Melz Owusu's *Undisciplined* -- a book that calls upon the need for radical imagination as part of its argument for the abolishment of academia as an institution.
The Junkyard returns from its summer hiatus with a post from Mark Windsor and Jakub Stejskal on the archaeological sublime and the imaginative failure it involves.
APA Pacific 2026 paper submissions are open with two new options: workshops for structured discussion of in-progress work, and lightning sessions for testing out new ideas. Colloquium and symposium options are still available as well! Submit a paper today. papers.apaonline.org
Call for Abstracts
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29β30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Eric Peterson on the mutual reinforcement of value between imagination and free speech
I'm Dr. Annie Andrews. Iβm a pediatrician, not a politician. But either way I know how to handle people who are full of sh*t.
Today I am announcing my campaign for US Senate to replace Lindsey Graham. Share this if you're with me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8wM...
Come join me at the WCA in Edmonton this fall! philevents.org/event/show/1...