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On Picturing a Candle: The Prehistory of Imagery Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00515
MacKisack, M., Aldworth, S., Macpherson, F., Onians, J., Winlove, C., & Zeman, A. (2016). On picturing a candle: the prehistory of imagery science. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00515

Abstract

The past 25 years have seen a rapid growth of knowledge about brain mechanisms involved in visual mental imagery. These advances have largely been made independently of the long history of philosophical – and even psychological – reckoning with imagery and its parent concept ‘imagination’. We suggest that the view from these empirical findings can be widened by an appreciation of imagination’s intellectual history, and we seek to show how that history both created the conditions for – and presents challenges to – the scientific endeavor. We focus on the neuroscientific literature’s most commonly used task – imagining a concrete object – and, after sketching what is known of the neurobiological mechanisms involved, we examine the same basic act of imagining from the perspective of several key positions in the history of philosophy and psychology. We present positions that, firstly, contextualize and inform the neuroscientific account, and secondly, pose conceptual and methodological challenges to the scientific analysis of imagery. We conclude by reflecting on the intellectual history of visualization in the light of contemporary science, and the extent to which such science may resolve long-standing theoretical debates.

Authors

  • Matthew MacKisack4
  • Susan Aldworth2
  • Fiona Macpherson4
  • John Onians2
  • Crawford Winlove5
  • Adam Zeman14

Understanding the Science of Visual Imagination: Bridging Neuroscience and Philosophy

Overview/Introduction

Over the past 25 years, scientific research has made significant strides in understanding how our brains create visual mental images. However, this progress has often overlooked the rich history of philosophical and psychological theories about imagination. This research paper aims to bridge the gap between modern neuroscience and the historical understanding of imagination. By examining how historical philosophical positions can contextualize and challenge current scientific approaches, the paper seeks to enrich our understanding of visual mental imagery.

Methodology

The researchers focused on a common neuroscientific task: imagining a concrete object, such as a candle. They reviewed existing neuroscientific studies that use brain imaging techniques to explore the neural mechanisms involved in this task. Additionally, they analyzed historical philosophical and psychological theories to provide a broader context and identify potential challenges to the scientific study of imagery.

Key Findings

  • Neuroscientific Insights: Brain imaging studies suggest that imagining a candle involves activity across several brain regions, including the parietal, frontal, temporal, and occipital lobes. These areas work together to generate and maintain mental images.
  • Philosophical Context: Historical figures like Aristotle and Hume offered foundational ideas about imagination that resonate with modern findings. For instance, Aristotle's concept of phantasia, which involves visualizing absent objects, aligns with current understandings of mental imagery.
  • Challenges from Philosophy: Some philosophical perspectives question the feasibility of studying mental imagery scientifically. For example, behaviorism dismisses mental images as unobservable, while other theories argue that all thought is fundamentally abstract, not pictorial.

Implications

  • Enriching Neuroscience: By integrating philosophical insights, neuroscientists can gain a deeper understanding of visual mental imagery and its role in cognition. This interdisciplinary approach can help resolve long-standing theoretical debates about the nature of imagination.
  • Practical Applications: Understanding the neural basis of imagination could have practical implications for fields such as education, where visualization techniques can enhance learning, and in therapy, where mental imagery is used to treat conditions like anxiety.

Limitations

While the paper provides a comprehensive overview, it acknowledges that the study of imagination is complex and multifaceted. The focus on visual imagery is just one aspect, and imagination can also involve other senses and cognitive processes. Additionally, the historical philosophical perspectives may not always align neatly with modern scientific methods.
In conclusion, by exploring the intersection of neuroscience and p...