PP23 What is the logic of imagination and why is it so important?
G'day, my name is Bruce Robertson and this is Pirate Philosophy, the channel in which I describe the Pattern Paradigm, an original philosophy that is rigorous, logical and accurate; and one that I claim makes better sense of the world than any other philosophy. Welcome.
Today I want to discuss imagination. What is it? What is its logic? And why is it so important?
Imagination is an essential component of the process for making sense of the world. It is necessary at the very depths of perception when working out how to interpret raw data from the senses, especially the eyes. For it is found in the logic of the fundamental pattern identification algorithm described in the video PP9 'Patterns, time and space' that is used for creating ideas out of sense-data. I will put a link in the description below.
The algorithm is one of pattern identification. It looks for patterns within the data. Intrinsic to that algorithm is a process of imagination.
Imagination is a necessary part of the algorithm as there is no deductive process for simply taking sense-data and extracting the best pattern to fit the data out of it. There necessarily has to be a process of trial and error or more accurately a process of imagination and testing.
Here is a simple algorithm that describes the process:
Simple Algorithm for Pattern Identification
1 Assemble the data
2 Input a template
3 Test the template – does it fit?
4 If it fits continue otherwise return to step 2
5 Store the template together with a label for the data.
I won't go over it here as I have gone over it in previous videos. I only wish to draw your attention to line 2: Input a template.
A template in this instance a template is a trial pattern, one that is to be tested according to whether it fits the data or not.
This pattern identification process is the only possible way of converting sense-data into concepts.
It is in the acquisition of trial templates that imagination is necessary.
But what is the logic of this imagination? How can a template be created?
In the very early stages of pattern identification when interpreting sense-data and beginning to create a model of the world there are only two possibilities for creating a possible template.
1. It is a purely random template
or 2. A sample of the data which could perhaps be repeated to recreate all of the data.
Subsequently when a number of patterns have been identified a third possibility for a template arises
3. A template from an entirely separate pattern identification process. One that fits an entirely separate set of data; for example one that fits one of the other senses.
It is important to note that there is no limit to what can be used as a template for the pattern identification process. So for example, one could use something akin to a duck, everything is made of water, the moon is made of cheese or time slows down the faster you travel through space.
And the reason there is no limit to the range of possible templates is because if the template is no good it will not fit the data and can be subsequently discarded.
There is only a pragmatic limitation to considering various templates and that is in the amount of processing time required. For to assemble many possible templates and then to test them against the data can be a very time consuming process.
Testing a template against the data is a bit like a filter system whereby only the templates which have a reasonable fit to the data will get through and the rest are discarded. Note that the best patterns are ones that not only fit the data but also can reproduce the data.
Without this Imaginative source of templates and filter system for testing templates, there can be no pattern-identification and hence no model of the world can be created.
This process of imagination and filtering is not too dissimilar from the trial and error process of genetic evolution. In genetic evolution there is random variation of the genetic code within a particular genome which is subsequently tested in the associated phenotype as to whether it provides an advantage or a disadvantage with regard to the survivability of the organism. i.e. in its ability to survive, thrive and procreate. If it is disadvantageous the organism will not survive, thrive and procreate and the genetic variation will disappear from the gene pool; whereas if it is advantageous then the genetic variation will remain within the gene pool.
Imagination is also important in the logic of decision-making. An algorithm describing this process was described in PP13 'The logic of decision-making'.
I won't go over it here but will put a copy in the description below.
Start of Decision Making Algorithm
1. Assemble all possible actions for this decision
2. Select one possible action
3. Assemble all possible consequences of this action
The imaginative part of the algorithm resides in the first instruction which requires the collating of possible decisions together with their associated actions. Again there is no limit to the range of possible decisions that can be considered, for those whose likely outcome does not benefit the decision maker will be discarded and only those likely to bring benefit need to be considered in depth; before the one that is most likely to bring happiness, in both the short-term and long-term, will be finally selected.
A different form of imagination is required for the evaluation of the expected happiness for a particular decision and its associated action. It is one that requires more of an abstract visualisation of the consequences of a potential decision and its subsequent impact on one's personal happiness. It also requires a good model of the world in order to make accurate predictions of the potential consequences. So for this to be effective one needs to visualise or imagine the possible consequences.
Having chosen a decision and put it into action it is important to evaluate the actual consequences to see if they align with the predicted consequences and then to learn from that for making subsequent decisions. Though that said, caution must be exercised as we live in a complex world that it is full of change and quasi-random variations. So that the same decision made another time in similar circumstances to a previous decision may produce entirely different consequences. So for example, a child can run across a busy road without being hit by a car, but this is little indication that at another time they will achieve the same outcome.
There is also another aspect of imagination, one where there is the creation of possibilities as before, but this time without the filtering system of fitting the possibilities to the facts of the real world. These remain only as possibilities and reside in a sort of fantasy world that has no direct correlation to the world of reality. They are often manifest in what are termed the arts; i.e. music, abstract paintings, abstract sculptures, novels, poetry and so on.
These can act as a communication from the artist to the viewer as a stimulus to the imagination to open viwers up to the realm of possibilities.
Imagination is an intrinsic part of the human mind. From the roots of perception when infants seek to make sense of the mass of confusing sense-data that they are confronted with to the important decisions that people make in their lives to the trivial game of looking at clouds and suggesting animals or other shapes that they may bring to mind; the logic of imagination is paramount.
Imagination is important as it is inherent in the fundamental and underlying process that has brought about the huge technological advances that differentiate the modern world from that of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of our ancient ancestors. Without our powers of exploiting the logic of imagination we would still be swinging through the trees.
Without imagination, one can do no more than follow the paths created by others , and while there is nothing wrong with that, some people want something more. And perhaps it is also important that people use their powers of imagination in order to fulfil their potential as human beings.
Finally, it may be of interest to note that other modern philosophies (i.e. philosophies other than The Pattern Paradigm) typically ignore imagination or even try to suppress it. They do not encourage imaginative ideas or innovation.
But so long as there are people who use their powers of imagination and promote new ideas and innovation, imagination can never be suppressed.
Well, that is all I have for you today. I hope you have enjoyed this video and if you have any comments, please leave them in the section below and if you'd like to continue this journey with me, please subscribe to my channel and give it a thumbs up. You can also visit my website: ThePatternParadigm.com for transcripts of these videos.
Thank you.
Decision Making Algorithm
1. Assemble all possible actions for this decision
2. Select one possible action
3. Assemble all possible consequences of this action
4. Select one possible consequence.
Estimate the likelihood or probability that the consequence will occur.
Estimate the happiness (or unhappiness) that one might expect from that consequence in both the short term and the long-term. (Use some arbitrary units and put on a scale say from -10 ( extreme unhappiness) to +10 (maximum happiness).
Calculate the product of the probability by the estimated happiness to arrive at an overall expected value for the happiness of that consequence.
I f There are more possible consequences loop back to ‘4’, else continue
5. Add all the Expected happinesses for each possible consequence to arrive at a combined expected happiness for this action and store this value alongside a description of the action.
6. If there are more possible actions loop back to ‘2’, else continue
7. From the stored values of expected happiness find the one with the highest value.
8. Select the action that is associated with this value.
9. Execute the action.
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