Dialogische Vorstellungsbildung: Erkenntnistätigkeit zwischen Wahrnehmung und Idee

Abstract

Generating representations as dialogue: knowledge acquisition between perception and conception. Knowledge and experiences shaping the normal course of life and its conscious content come in the shape of representations; they encompass elements oriented at ideas as well as at perceptions. The rigid, inflexible nature of representations may be overcome using phantasy, or fictional (imaginative) representations, guided either by directly perceived objects or by the actualisation of concepts and structures. Such flexible or animated representations are the means by which one can enter into a dialogue, an interlocution, with the world of sense experiences on the one side and the realm of concepts or ideas on the other side. Entering into variations of perspectives, attitudes and points of view by one’s own inner activity, these two worlds present themselves as distinct yet as unique and particular; they have their own foundation and disposition respectively. Within this dialogue fruitful encounters happen, not only monologues or illusionary congresses. Such animated fictional representations enhance and facilitate not only encounters with sensual and conceptual realitities, they are fundamental abilities for knowledge acquisition as well. With this perspective, one can delve deeply into the processes of abstraction and concretion, or concentration, and their relation to the theory of universals. Finally, it has to be taken into account that fictional representation with their ligthfulness and their ability to fire one’s imagination also have a dark side with its illusional aspects and its mental mechanisms.