Imagination Quote by Richard Kearney
““Clearly, imagining cannot be expected to mean exactly the same thing today as it did in the Middle Ages or antiquity. For one thing, Aristotle and Aquinas never watched television.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: 2015, Richard Kearney on imagination across eras
Highlights that concepts of imagination change over time and warns against anachronistic assumptions
In simple terms: Ideas evolve; ancient and modern imaginations differ
Consider historical context when interpreting ideas
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic research
- literary analysis
- teaching philosophy
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we avoid presentist bias?
- What tools help us understand historical thought?
Modern analogies can misrepresent past thinkers