Imagination over Knowledge

Imagine setting foot, in older times, on the flocculent ground of an alternate dimension; it is a macrocosm, which is utterly different from the one we have always known, despite having been just at our fingertips since the beginning of time. I truly believe that Einstein was justified when he stated that, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’, because without an imagined idea, all the knowledge imaginable cannot make our world thrive and ameliorate. Despite proficiency being profoundly crucial in all aspects of our lives, knowledge is sprung candidly from what can really change the world – imagination. In every constituent of life, from school subjects to dieting, it is our artistry which leads us to ascendancy. Without the ability to perceive, which we all, to various extents, possess, the world we dwell in today would still be in its prehistoric stage, which would dubiously be progressing.

Firstly, there is the aspect of science, ostensibly one of the fields of study with the least amount of required imagination and yet, presumptively, the subject which relies the most upon our abilities to fantasise about new prospects. Einstein declared that, ‘knowledge is limited,’ but that, ‘imagination encircles our entire world;’ I could not agree with this more. Einstein was a scientist, whose discoveries made a voluminous change to today’s face of science; he developed the law of relativity. In 2012, there were over 540 000 scientific applications made in the USA alone, so the total for all the world is almost infinite – but it is unlikely that many of these applications would have been made had the scientists not been using their imagination. For example, it was imagination that suggested to Albert Einstein that perhaps there was a law to explain the relatives surrounding us. Every paradigm-shifting scientific experiment or theory begins with an idea – and every idea is a product of the imagination. Science, although seeming purely methodical and logical, actually relies most heavily on the imagination.

Secondly, we have the notion of human stamina, provoked entirely by one’s imagination. In our lives, we all face a myriad of challenges, many of which are to do with altering an aspect of ourselves or achieving a set goal. An example of this could be dieting and/or exercising, a challenge which a large fraction of today’s society partake in, in the hope of becoming fit, healthy and attractive. To achieve the goal of finding yourself a new, better life, the knowledge you have of how to go about this task is very insubstantial and insignificant. A person will begin/ continue to exercise or diet, because of the stamina they have developed due to their imagination. We imagine ourselves with perfect health, fitness, or the ability to live a longer life and we push ourselves to achieve this. If someone only knew how to get fit or that perhaps it was a good idea to do so, without really imagining what it would be like at the end, very few people would be prepared to give up habits they enjoy in order to diet or exercise. It is the fantasy image in your mind of realising your life has been prolonged by a decade, as a result of your new-found health, or stepping out in front of everyone and leaving the crowd in awe of your perfect figure, that gives you the stamina to keep going. Imagination, unlike knowledge, propels us into action, giving us the fighting spirit we need in order to beat our challenges.

Another way in which imagination is more useful to us than knowledge is how it can urge us to do phantasmagorical things, which fluctuate, not only the lives of those involved, but the lives of everyone. As children, young and innocent, we all have fantasias of what will become later; some dream of becoming courageous firefighters, while others conceive themselves becoming surgeons or building schools in third world countries. These chimeras we have, of the lives we will emancipate, or the education we will deliver to those who don’t have education available to them, or the surroundings we will stonewall, are what stimulate us to do whatever we need to do in order to effectuate these goals. In the end, those people, who have pursued the dreams which emanated from their imagination, are those who will have an influence on this world. Aiming for a far-reaching job, with simply the knowledge of how to matriculate the necessary tests, very rarely works. Without an envisioned dream or fantasy anticipating the end of an agglomeration of work, a very meager amount of humans can go on to save lives or to make a difference where it’s most vital. Our world needs the sort of person who is in readiness to go to whatever lengths they need to go to; to form such a person, a sufficient amount of imagination will be required.

Lastly, there are also the more obvious examples of the power of the imagination, including today’s classic entertainment of movies and books. I accredit that writers are the way of the future, simply because imagination is unlimited. There will never be a time when the world ceases to have any more stories to tell; the possibilities are multitudinous. Every day, millions of people all around the globe are viewing films or reading books – both of these activities are becoming more prevailing by the day. The people who write such unknown pieces of fiction often imagine what will happen before it happens. In the United Kingdom in 2005, over 206 000 books were published and the cardinals keep augmenting every year, whilst each year at least 50 000 movies are made. These are immensely significant statistics, which have brought in incredible sums of money and fame – all because of imagination. Few people go through the day without either scanning through the television channels or leafing through a book – our most simple and common forms of entertainment rely utterly on the imagination of people all around the world.

Overall, I, personally, strongly believe that, in almost every situation we encounter, our imagination is more important than our knowledge. Einstein was, in my opinion, perfectly accurate to have declared this, because whatever the challenge or the idea, it is our dreams which get us past the hardships and tough times. So, no matter what happens, I believe that the human imagination will guide our world through its darkest hours and to better times. Our imagination knows no bounds, so who knows the extent of our capabilities?