Sunday, May 6, 2012

Bacon on imagination........

"Neither is the imagination simply and only a messenger; but is invested with, or at leastwise usurpeth no small authority in itself, besides the duty of the message.  For it was well said by Aristotle, 'That the mind hath over the body that commandment, which the lord hath over the bondsman; but that reason hath over the imagination that commandment which a magistrate hath over a free citizen who may come also to rule in his turn.'  For we see that, in matters of faith and religion, we raise our imagination above our reason; which is the cause why religion sought ever access to the mind by similitudes, types, parables, visions, dreams.  And again, in all persuasions that are wrought by eloquence, and other impressions of like nature, which do paint and disguise the true appearance of things, the chief recommendation unto reason is from the imagination."
-Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning, The Second Book

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