The Function of Imagination in Constitution and Understanding of the Reality in Paul Ricoeurˊs Hermeneutics

Imagination is most traditionally assumed as something that is a contradiction of reality. Accordingly, it is considered as a faculty that is merely able to evoke our emotions and feelings and implies unreal things that do not contribute to cognition. This is one of the most important themes of Paul Ricoeurˊs theory. By analyzing and criticizing other theories, he tries to go over this contradiction and emphasizes the functional aspect of imagination and its contribution to reality. By exploring through various texts of Ricoeur, in order to achieve an organized framework, this article seeks to show how imagination can play a main role in the construction of reality. Therefore, by taking up Ricoeurˊs claims, first of all, we explain his verbal turn which has two functions and also significant consequences. These functions include schematizing synthesis and projecting new meanings, which elaborated on three levels. In this way, it can be seen how a poetic schema creates a picture by inventing a new meaning, which indirectly refers to reality and hence defamiliarizes it. Finally, we try to point out the most key consequences of this new understanding.