Imagination and Perception

In the history of philosophy, the basic role of imagination in human perception as an intermediary between sensation and intellect has been left unnoticed. Imagination has often been regarded as subjective and illusory. Although imagination is one of the initial faculties of the soul that has been known, its duty is described only as preservation and ideation of sensible objects in the time of their absence. Ṣadr al-Muti’allihīn (ra) has proved the purgatorial incorporeity of imagination by means of providing various definite proofs and has enunciated a basic and important role for imagination in the three degrees of perception. Therefore, imagination is not just a reservoir that archives sensible forms or undertakes a series of illusory and false fantasies; rather, it undertakes the perception of real and true matters in the world of imagination. Although Avicenna has stressed on the materiality of imagination and mentioned some definite proofs to prove it, a careful inspection of his words would lead us to the fact that he seeks to deny the complete rational incorporeity of imagination, which is agreed upon. In addition to that, some of his statements concern the incorporeity of imagination.