Can our imagination create objective reality? If we are not adherents of magical and magical arts and stand with all our feet on the ground, considering ourselves materialists, then, answering the question posed above, we will most likely say no. Moreover, our main arguments will be scientific knowledge, according to which objective reality is that which exists independently of us, our consciousness and imagination.
Therefore, no matter how you imagine a suitcase full of money in front of you, it will not appear. The maximum that we can do through imagination is to create purely speculative images, including those of a fantastic nature. In order for our imagination to create something in the flesh, the use of hands and appropriate tools is necessary.
Everything seems to be so, but if you dig deeper, everything does not look as unambiguous as it might seem at first glance. It turns out that there are objectively real phenomena that we create exclusively by the power of our imagination.
Consider a few illustrative examples, and I will start with the phenomena of the cosmic scale - constellations. At first glance, it seems to us that constellations are objective phenomena that exist independently of us as cognizing entities. But if we carefully study the process of seeing the constellations, we will understand that our imagination is at the heart of all the constellations. Judge for yourselves: any constellation in the sky is a certain number of stars connected by imaginary lines in a specific configuration.
The lines that connect the stars into a constellation cannot be seen with their own eyes, they can only be imagined or imagined. Therefore, in order to see the constellations, not enough simple vision, you need, on the one hand, the ability to imagine, and on the other hand, you still need to undergo training in astrology or astronomy. In the process of training, we, looking at the drawings of the constellations, remember their visual images, which then, when looking at the starry sky, spontaneously arise in our consciousness. Thus, without the ability of imagination and not knowing astrology or astronomy, it is impossible to see the constellations. In this case, we would see a simple chaotic cluster of bright points - stars, and nothing more.
How did the constellations come about? Obviously, in ancient times, in the minds of one or another astrologer, when examining the starry sky, imaginary visual images arose that were associated with one or another real or mythical creature. Certain names were given to these images, then, artificially, without any reasonable evidence, astrologers attributed certain qualities and properties to them. The constellation Capricorn was attributed to some qualities, the constellation Sagittarius - to others. The planet Mars was attributed to male qualities, and the planet Venus - to women. Thus, an artificial, imaginary world arose, where stars and constellations began to ācontrolā our material world, influencing the fates of people and nations.
In addition to the above, we can say that our imagination creates even such large water bodies as oceans, since in reality there are no boundaries that would divide the World Ocean into separate oceans. All boundaries are created exclusively by the human imagination. To do this, just look at the map. Below, for example, the borders of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans are shown.
In the following example, we consider such well-known objective phenomena as sunrise and sunset. At first glance it seems to us that these natural phenomena exist independently of our consciousness. But actually it is not. Imagine that three observers at the same time are looking at the Sun from three different points in space.
One observer, being, for example, in Japan, can see the sunset. Another observer, being in Europe, at the same time can see the sunrise. The third observer, being, for example, in far space, will at the same time see the Sun, which is outside the process of sunrise or sunset.
Since the Sun itself cannot be in three conflicting states at the same time, it turns out that the phenomenon of sunrise and sunset of the Sun exists only in the consciousness and imagination of observers located at different points in space. Consequently, without the subject of knowledge there can be no objective phenomenon - sunrise or sunset.
In my opinion, the above is already enough to draw a reasonable conclusion that our imagination can in some cases create an objective reality. If this is not enough for someone, then we can go further and give a more complex proof based on cases of mental āblindnessā known to science. It manifests itself in those paradoxical situations when at some point we donāt see what we are looking at, we donāt hear what we listen to, we donāt feel what we touch, etc. I think that every person has at least once encountered such a phenomenon, since it lies, for example, at the basis of tricks, illusions, fraud, etc. A well-known case here is a scientific experiment where the spectators of a basketball game did not see a man dressed in a monkey suit, despite the fact that he periodically ran out to the sports field and was in the audienceās field of vision.
In all these cases, our senses at the physiological level function normally, but for some reason there is no ability to create an image of an object or phenomenon. In science, this phenomenon is called "blindness of inattention" or "perceptual blindness." It is believed that this is an inability to pay attention to any object that is not related to vision problems and is purely psychological in nature.
Consider specific examples. Take, in particular, such objective phenomena as football or chess.
At first glance it may seem to us that in order to see the game, a simple vision is enough for us. This is actually not the case. There is a situation where we can look at the game, but not see it. In order to understand how this is possible, consider a situation where we do not know the rules of football or chess.
Obviously, in this case we will see people running around the field or chess pieces standing on the board, but we wonāt see the game itself until we understand the rules of the game. I know this for myself, as baseball is still such an āinvisible" game. When I watch this game, I only see players kicking the ball and those who catch the ball. But I do not see the game itself, because I do not understand its essence, which is the rules of the game.
Thus, to see baseball, football, hockey, etc., you need not only normal vision, but also knowledge of the rules of the game. In turn, the rules cannot be seen with simple vision, for this we need to use an imagination that builds a speculative picture, where players (chess pieces) are divorced by different teams, and each player (piece) has its own function. In the same speculative way, we see the goal of the game - to score a goal or to checkmate an opponent.
Hence, in all fairness, it can be said that objectively a game exists only when players āreviveā these rules with their intellectual and physical actions. Moreover, if players very often violate, for example, the rules of the game of football, then there will be no game as such. In this case, players will run on the football field, but there will be no football itself. The same applies to any game.
It follows that imagination is necessary, on the one hand, in order to create objective phenomena, on the other hand, in order to see them. If there is no imagination, then there is no way to create a visual image or representation.
Therefore, mental blindness is primarily manifested in children, since they are only beginning to form consciousness and the ability to create certain images.
As a rule, children do not see what adults who teach them see until they acquire the appropriate knowledge. For example, children under a certain age cannot see the watch as an object, even if they look at it. The fact is that they do not yet have an appropriate image and concept that can appear only in the learning process and in the presence of the necessary mental abilities.
When the child finally sees the clock as an object, distinguishing it from the general background, he, until a certain age, will not be able to see the time that the clock shows, since he does not yet have the necessary knowledge, which manifests itself in the ability to imagine time. After all, time is impossible to see firsthand.
If the child does not yet have the necessary ability for imagination, then no training will lead him to the vision of time. This lasts until thinking is able to form the necessary mental images for this. This explains why a child, for example, can fearlessly play with a combat grenade, throwing it into a fire. The fact is that he does not see a combat grenade, since he does not yet have the corresponding knowledge and visual image. He sees only some interesting thing and nothing more.
Something similar can happen with old people, since in some cases their ability to create visual images and concepts is destroyed, and the more complicated these images and concepts are, the more difficult it is for the mind to form them. We can say that it is precisely because of this that senile dementia arises when a person, despite good eyesight, hearing, etc., ceases to consciously perceive what he previously easily perceived. The consciousness of such a person degrades, and he can be said to gradually turn into a child. With all the ensuing consequences.
In healthy adults, a state of mental blindness also occurs. Moreover, it is clearly manifested in the relationship between men and women, since there is typically female mental blindness, and there is typically male, when some objects and phenomena are more quickly and easily distinguished (recognized) by men, and some women. This is due to the fact that the conceptual spheres of thinking of men and women are formed in different ways and may not coincide in some respects. This was especially noticeable earlier, when male and female education fundamentally differed from each other. Therefore, men are often surprised when faced with female blindness in matters relating, for example, to cars, weapons or sports. Women, on the contrary, are surprised at how many men are childishly blind and naive in matters relating, for example, to clothing colors, jewelry, etc.
This can be explained by the fact that men, as a rule, do not have many of the visual images that women have, and vice versa. For example, most men, examining a Cattleya orchid, would not have seen it, since they probably have no corresponding visual image in their minds. Therefore, they would see only what they have an idea - just flowers. Conversely, most women would not see the Mercedes GLR class, since they do not have the right visual image. Most likely, they would just see a car. Some would see Mercedes, thanks to the knowledge of the symbol known to all. If it werenāt for this symbol, I think some women would not be able to give a correct definition of a car.
It follows from the foregoing that in order to see objective reality in the form of, for example, an orchid or a car, the ability of imagination and the presence of the necessary visual images are necessary. Without this, we can look at the object as much as we like, but not see it.
In my opinion, this is already enough to, on the one hand, make a reasonable conclusion that the ability of the imagination can create objective reality in certain situations. On the other hand, it can be concluded that objective idealism has certain grounds for considering its ideological concepts legitimate.