Force of Imagination: The Sense of the Elemental

by John Sallis

Force of Imagination
The Sense of the Elemental
John Sallis

A bold and original investigation into how imagination shapes thought and feeling.

"This is a bold new direction for the author, one that he takes in an arresting and convincing manner. . . . a powerful, original approach to what others call 'ecology' but what Sallis shows to be a question of the status of the earth in philosophical thinking at this historical moment." ―Edward S. Casey

In this major original work, John Sallis probes the very nature of imagination and reveals how the force of imagination extends into all spheres of human life. While drawing critically on the entire history of philosophy, Sallis's work takes up a vantage point determined by the contemporary deconstruction of the classical opposition between sensible and intelligible. Thus, in reinterrogating the nature of imagination, Force of Imagination carries out a radical turn to the sensible and to the elemental in nature. Liberated from subjectivity, imagination is shown to play a decisive role both in drawing together the moments of our experience of sensible things and in opening experience to the encompassing light, atmosphere, earth, and sky. Set within this elemental expanse, the human sense of time, of self, and of the other proves to be inextricably linked to imagination and to nature. By showing how imagination is formative for the very opening upon things and elements, this work points to the revealing power of poetic imagination and casts a new light on the nature of art.

John Sallis is Liberal Arts Professor of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University. His previous books include Being and Reading the Platonic Dialogues; Shades―Of Painting at the Limit; Stone; On Beginning in Plato's Timaeus (all published by Indiana University Press), Nietzsche and the Space of Tragedy and Double Truth.

Studies in Continental Thought―John Sallis, editor

Contents
Prolusions
On (Not Simply) Beginning
Remembrance
Duplicity of the Image
Spacing the Image
Tractive Imagination
The Elemental
Temporalities
Proprieties
Poetic Imagination

Genres: Philosophy

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2000

About the author

John Sallis was an American philosopher well known for his work in the tradition of phenomenology. From 2005 until his death, he was the Frederick J. Adelmann Professor of Philosophy at Boston College. He previously taught at Pennsylvania State University (1996–2005), Vanderbilt University (1990–1995), Loyola University of Chicago (1983–1990), Duquesne University (1966–1983) and the University of the South (1964–1966).

Reviews

[عبدالله السعيدي · Rating 3 out of 5]

Montaigne has shown us how the force of imagination could transform the life of a person from the negative to the positive and vice versa. When a student imagines that he succeeds, this gives him/ her hope for development. Moreover, authors depend greatly on imagination in getting innovative ideas for their readers. They use fancy in writing incidents that have no existence in reality. Architects also use their imagination to put a plan for a certain building, house or villa. The same applies for civil engineers who use their imagination for conceiving a certain bridge or road. Thus, imagination helps people in their professions. It helps man to adapt to reality by providing him that there is a solution for all the problems facing man. Imagination enhances people's health as they could through imagination conceive a better life.
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Montaigne Said, " A perpetual cough in another tickles my lungs and throat. I more unwillingly visit the sick in whom by love and duty I am interested, than those I care not for, to whom I less look. take possession of the disease I am concerned at, and take it to myself. A count of a very great family, and with whom I was very intimate, being married to a fair lady, who had formerly been courted by one who was at the wedding, all his friends were in very great fear; but especially an old lady his kinswoman, who had the ordering of the solemnity, and in whose house it was kept, suspecting his rival." This quote emphasizes on the emotional force of imagination which is used in martial life and between both couples who love each others. He gives examples on the power of imagination in changing the monotony and stability of life to a heavenly life that is full of joy and happiness, this is reflected in his description of the king of Egypt. " Amasis, king of Egypt, having married Laodice, a very beautiful Greek virgin, though noted for his abilities elsewhere, found himself quite another man with his wife, and could by no means enjoy her; would offer foul play by these sorceries. Which fear she communicated to me."

Montaigne has repeated the power of imagination in the life of the married couple and how it works well in motivating them for love, joy and persistent joyful life. He said, "When a man perceives himself full of agitation and trembling, and to await another opportunity at more private and more composed leisure, than to make himself perpetually miserable, for having misbehaved himself and been baffied at the first assault."

Montaigne has also examined the power of imagination in treating sick people. When people believe strongly in a certain medicine and its efficiency, it could be helpful in treating them. This is because of the power of imagination. This is clearly reflected in the example he has given about the woman who has swallowed the pin : A woman imagined that she had swallowed a pin in a piece of bread, cried and lamented as though she had an intolerable pain in her throat, where she thought she felt it stick; but an ingenious fellow that was brought to her, seeing no outward tumor nor alteration, supposing it to be only a conceit taken at some crust of bread that had hurt her as it went down, caused her to vomit, and, unseen, threw a crooked pin into the basin, which the woman no sooner saw, but believing she had cast it up, she presently found herself eased of her pain. P. 8".
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Thus, the power of imagination is clearly significant in our lives in different aspects. For example, architects put a certain design which helps them in making magnificent buildings. In addition, doctors might convince their patients that they are in a very good health and if they take a certain medicine, their health might get better. This gives them hope as they imagine that they are in a very healthy condition. This helps them to be cured quickly.
Imagination is also used creatively in sexual matters as it triggers people's power. They use their fancy a lot in love matters and in conceiving a dream life. It is also used by authors to put some solutions that are found in our real life.

We find that we tend to use our faculty of imagination in evading some problems that are irking our lives. For example, we might imagine that we are living in a better place or doing positive things.

People might imagine that their lives might be much better when they make a certain revolution. For example, the revolutions that are launched in the Middle East region are triggered by people's imagination that they could live a better life after those revolutions. Their strong belief in this triggers their enthusiasm to do their best in this regard.

" I am solicited to write the affairs of my own time, by some who fancy I look upon them with an eye less blinded with passion than another, and have a clearer insight into them by reason of the free access fortune has given me to the heads of various factions; but they do not consider, that to purchase the glory of Sallust, I would not give myself the trouble, sworn enemy as I am to obligation, assiduity, or perseverance;"

This is what is said by Montaigne to indicate the power of imagination which enables us to understand us and have a clearer insight about them. All in all, the power of imagination is very high as it enables us to make our life better.