--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The act of imagination is the opening of…" description: "\"The act of imagination is the opening of the system so that it shows new connections. Every act of act of imagination is the discovery of likenesses be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/jacob-bronowski-3073_apples_the-act-of-imagination-is-the-opening-of_1840010.png" --- # The act of imagination is the opening of the system so… ![“The act of imagination is the opening of the system so that it shows new connections. Every act of act of imagination is the discovery of likenesses between two things which were thought unlike. An example is Newton’s thinking of the likeness between the thrown apple and moon sailing majestically…” quote by Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/jacob-bronowski-3073_apples_the-act-of-imagination-is-the-opening-of_1840010.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/jacob-bronowski-3073_apples_the-act-of-imagination-is-the-opening-of_1840010.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05a/jacob-bronowski-3073_apples_the-act-of-imagination-is-the-opening-of_1840010.png) > “The act of imagination is the opening of the system so that it shows new connections. Every act of act of imagination is the discovery of likenesses between two things which were thought unlike. An example is Newton’s thinking of the likeness between the thrown apple and moon sailing majestically in the sky. Hence, the ‘discovery’ of the laws of gravity.” [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagination creates new links between seemingly unrelated ideas, leading to breakthroughs. **In simple terms:** Imagination connects unlike things to discover new ideas. Key Takeaway Use imagination to find hidden connections. Themes creativity discovery science Mood inspired curious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - scientific research - artistic creation - problem solving - education Key Concepts analogical reasoning innovation cognitive flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you test the validity of a new connection? - What habits nurture imaginative thinking? A Different Perspective Imagination may produce false analogies if not critically examined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-imagination-632249/) [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-discovery-2342799/) [Imagination Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-opening-2342800/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-gravity-2113398/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Sailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailing/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thrown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrown/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [The split between religion and science is relatively new. Isaac Newton, who first worked out the laws by which gravity held the planets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-split-between-religion-and-science-is-relatively-new-isaac-newton/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Even the most eminent persons are subject to the laws of gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/even-the-most-eminent-persons-are-subject-to-the-laws-of-gravity/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Tis a short sight to limit our faith in laws to those of gravity, of chemistry, of botany, and so forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tis-a-short-sight-to-limit-our-faith-in-laws-to-those-of-gravity-of-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [May your dreams defy the laws of gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/may-your-dreams-defy-the-laws-of-gravity/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [“Gravity ruled, and gravity did not take into account circumstances, or the unfairness of things, or listen to eleventh-hour petitions before reluctantly repealing its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/gravity-ruled-and-gravity-did-not-take-into-account-circumstances-or/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“In the end, I’ve come to believe in something I call the ‘physics of the quest’, a force in nature governed by the laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/in-the-end-i-ve-come-to-believe-in-something-i-call-the-physics-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > ['Tis a short sight to limit our faith in laws to those of gravity, of chemistry, of botany, and so forth. Those laws do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tis-a-short-sight-to-limit-our-faith-in-laws-to-those-of-gravity-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [ “The laws of nature cannot be randomly reshuffled at the cusps \[of an oscillating universe\]. 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It is a desire and innate drive to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-mcniff/creativity-can-be-defined-as-an-original-act-of-imagination-that/) [Shaun McNiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-mcniff/) ## More by Jacob Bronowski > [“A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or a scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. 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And what his work showed is that when the answers are simple too, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/einstein-was-a-man-who-could-ask-immensely-simple-questions-and-what/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Revolutions are not made by fate but by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/revolutions-are-not-made-by-fate-but-by-men/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“I am infinitely saddened to find myself suddenly surrounded in the west by a sense of terrible loss of nerve, a retreat from knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/i-am-infinitely-saddened-to-find-myself-suddenly-surrounded-in-the/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The most remarkable discovery ever made by scientists is science itself. The discovery must be compared in importance with the invention of cave-painting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-most-remarkable-discovery-ever-made-by-scientists-is-science/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [There are three creative ideas which, each in its turn, have been central to science. They are the idea of order, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/there-are-three-creative-ideas-which-each-in-its-turn-have-been/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [It is important that students bring a certain rafamuffin, barefoot, irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-is-important-that-students-bring-a-certain-rafamuffin-barefoot/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-hand-is-the-cutting-edge-of-the-mind/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [To me the most interesting thing about man is that he is an animal who practices art and science and in every known society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/to-me-the-most-interesting-thing-about-man-is-that-he-is-an-animal/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) [Explore all 140 Jacob Bronowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. 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It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) [Horace Dediu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-dediu/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. You get seduced by an 11-pound apple that turns out to be a fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jad-abumrad/therein-lies-the-rub-of-a-place-like-berkeley-bowl-you-get-seduced-by/) [Jad Abumrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jad-abumrad/) > [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/) [D. H. 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