Can you truly imagine without seeing pictures in your mind? For people with aphantasia – those who cannot create voluntary mental images – this isn’t just a theoretical question. It’s their lived reality. Yet fascinatingly, research shows they can still successfully engage in tasks that supposedly require visualization. This paradox has led to a groundbreaking new theory that challenges our fundamental understanding of imagination.
Meta-Imagination in Aphantasia
Imagine pretending to be a daring pirate while playing with a 4-year-old, seeing a tranquil beach during a relaxation exercise or conjuring a morally ambiguous detective roaming the streets of Vienna while crafting a noir novel. People with aphantasia cannot imagine these scenarios visually but can still engage in what researcher Christian Scholz calls “the language game of visualizing.”
In this presentation, Scholz introduces his innovative concept of ‘meta-imagination’ – a theoretical framework that explains how people with aphantasia can successfully engage in imagination-based exercises despite their inability to create mental images. The concept of meta-imagination offers a revolutionary perspective on how the mind works. While traditional theories have long assumed that mental imagery is essential for imagination, the experiences of people with aphantasia challenge this assumption. They demonstrate that successful imagination can occur through different cognitive pathways, suggesting that our understanding of mental processes needs to evolve.
Drawing from both Wittgensteinian philosophy and contemporary cognitive science, this presentation will revolutionize your understanding of mental imagery and human cognition. You’ll explore how aphantasic individuals engage in the language game of visualizing, demonstrating that imagination might be fundamentally different from what we’ve always assumed. This framework not only helps us understand aphantasia better but also provides insights into the nature of imagination itself.
The Impact of Meta-Imagination on Cognitive Science
The implications of meta-imagination extend far beyond understanding aphantasia. This groundbreaking research challenges fundamental assumptions about how our minds work, suggesting that our brain’s ability to process and manipulate information isn’t limited to visual mental imagery. Instead, it encompasses a broader range of cognitive strategies that we’re only beginning to understand.
For educators, therapists, and researchers, this new framework opens exciting possibilities. It suggests new approaches to learning and creativity that don’t rely solely on visualization, making education more inclusive for diverse cognitive styles.
What You’ll Discover
In this illuminating presentation, you’ll learn:
- How the groundbreaking concept of ‘meta-imagination’ explains aphantasics’ successful performance in visualization tasks
- Why traditional theories of mental imagery need reconsidering in light of the aphantasia phenomenon
- How philosophical analysis combined with neuroscientific approaches leads to better understanding of diverse cognitive styles
- Practical implications for education, creativity, and cognitive development
About the Researcher
Christian Scholz brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to aphantasia research. Currently pursuing his PhD at the Institute for Philosophy II at the Ruhr-University of Bochum, Christian combines insights from multiple fields, having earned master’s degrees in both Clinical Psychology (University of Groningen) and Logic (University of Amsterdam).
His innovative work bridges the gap between neuroscientific approaches and philosophical analysis, demonstrating how theoretical conceptualizations benefit from an empathetic approach to understanding lived experience. Christian’s research on meta-imagination emerged from his deep interest in mental imagery and extensive work with the aphantasia community.
Resources and Further Reading
- Read Christian’s groundbreaking paper: “Imaginability as Representability: A Wittgensteinian Approach to Aphantasia“
- View related research in our aphantasia research library
- Explore more about aphantasia and the Visualizer’s Fallacy from Christian Scholz
Scholz, C. (2023). Imaginability as Representability: A Wittgensteinian Approach to Aphantasia. MSc in Logic - Universiteit van Amsterdam.