按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nts； and imagine the house in question in flames （constructive）。 This involves several conditions。
The conditions of generation offer no difficulties。 The difficulty lies in the constructive aspect of the activity； for we can imagine astonishingly little。 We can not imagine ourselves in the fourth dimension； and although we have always had to make use of such quantities； we all have the idea that the quantity A represents； e。 g；； a line； A； a square； A； a cube； but as soon as we have to say what image A； A； etc。； represents； our mathematical language is at an end。 Even twelve men or a green flame seen through red glass or two people speaking different things can barely be imagined with any clearness。 We have the elements but we can not construct their compounds。 This difficulty occurs also in the consideration of certain objects。 Suppose we are looking at an artistically complete angel； we are always bothered by the idea that his wings are much too small to enable him to fly。 If an angel constructed like a man is to be borne by his wings； they must be so gigantic as to be unreproducible by an artist。 Indeed a person slightly more grubby；
＇1＇ Phantasie u。 Phantasienvorstellung。 Zeitsehrift f。 Philosophie u。 philosophische Kritik。 Vol。 95。
and interested in anatomy； will bother； at the sight of the most beautiful statue of an angel； concerning the construction of the limbs； the wings； and their relation to the skeleton。 In certain directions； therefore； the imagination is too weak to conceive an ethereal being in human form floating in the air。 Further； one authority points out that we think more frequently of centaurs than of human beings with serpentine bodies； not because centaurs are more sthetic but because horses are more massive than serpents。 I do not believe this to be the true explanation； for otherwise we should have had to imagine people with canine bodies； inasmuch as we see as many dogs as horses； if not more。 But the fact is correct and the explanation may be that we imagine a centaur because of the appropriate size； the implied power； and because it is not a wide leap from a horseman to a centaur。 In short； here also we see that the imagination prefers to work where difficulties are fewer。 Thus； with the ease of imagining an object there goes its definite possibility。 I know an old gentleman in A and another one in B who have never seen each other； but I can easily imagine them together； speaking； playing cards； etc。； and only with difficulty can I think of them as quarreling or betting。 In the _*possibility_ there is always a certain ease； and this is appropriated by the imagination。
It is significant that when others help us and we happen to find pleasure therein； we answer to very difficult demands upon the imagination。 In the opera the deviation from reality is so powerful that it seems silly to one unaccustomed to it。 But we do not need the unaccustomed person。 We need only to imagine the most ordinary scene in an opera； i。 e。； a declaration of love； sung； an aria declining it； an aria before committing suicide； a singing choir with a moral about this misfortune。 Has anything even remotely like it ever been seen in real life？ But we accept it quietly and find it beautiful and affecting simply because others perform it without difficulty before our eyes and we are willing to believe it possible。
The rule to be derived from all the foregoing is this。 Whenever we believe a statement to be based on imagination； or to have been learned from some imaginative source； we must always connect it with its most proximate neighbors； and step by step seek out its elements and then compound them in the simplest possible form。 We may； in this fashion； get perhaps at the proper content of the matter。 Of course it need not yield another imaginary image。 And its failure to do so would be an objection if the compound were the end of the work and were to be used in itself。 But that is not the case。 All that is required is to derive a certain starting…point from the hodge…podge of uncertainties and unintelligibility。 When the construction is made it must be compared with all the material at hand and tested by that material。 If the two agree； and only when they agree； may it be assumed that the starting…point has been properly chosen。 But not to make this construction means to feel around aimlessly； and to give up the job before it has been really begun。
Let us take the simplest possible instance of such a situation。 In a bowling alley； two youths； A and B； had a lively quarrel； in which A held the ball in his hand and threatened to throw it at B's head。 B； frightened； ran away； A pursued him； after a few steps threw the ball into the grass； caught B； and then gave him an easy blow with the fiat of his hand on the back of his head。 B began to wabble； sank to the ground； became unconscious； and showed all the signs of a broken head （unconsciousness； vomiting； distention of the pupils； etc。）。 All the particular details of the event are unanimously testified to by many witnesses； non…partisan friends of A and B； and among them the parish priest。 Simulation is completely excluded inasmuch as B； a simple peasant lad； certainly did not know the symptoms of brain…fever； and could not hope for any damages from the absolutely poor A。 Let us now consider what the nearest facts are。 The elements of the case are： B sees a heavy ball in A's hand； A threatens B with it and pursues him； B feels a blow on the head。 The compounding of these elements results in the invincible assumption on B's part that A had struck him on the head with the ball。 The consequence of this imaginative feeling was the development of all the phenomena that would naturally have followed if B had actually been struck on the head。
It would be wrong to say that these cases are so rare as to be useless in practice。 We simply do not observe them for the reason that we take much to be real because it is confirmed reliably。 More accurate examination would show that many things are merely imaginative。 A large portion of the contradictions we meet in our cases is explicable by the fact that one man is the victim of his fancies and the other is not。 The great number of such fancies is evinced by the circumstance that there can nowhere be found a chasm or boundary between the simplest fancies of the normal individual and the impossible imaginings of the lunatic。 Every man imagines frequently the appearance of an absent friend； of a landscape he has once seen。 The painter draws even the features of an absent model； the practiced chess…master plays games without having the board before him； persons half asleep see the arrival of absentees； persons lost in the wood at night see spirits and ghosts； very nervous people see them at home； and the lunatic sees the most extraordinary and disgusting thingsall these are imaginations beginning with the events of the daily life； ending with the visions of diseased humanity。 Where is the boundary； where a lacuna？
Here； as in all events of the daily life； the natural development of the extremely abnormal from the ordinary is the incontrovertible evidence for the frequency of these