Is it possible to think of something you can't imagine?

Question

Other people can tell you or inform you of things you can't imagine, but is it possible for you to do it by yourself?

Answer 1

Neat question, very thought-provoking. I would say, the answer is yes and no. Here's why:

When someone tells you about their house for the first time, you build a picture in your mind of what you believe that house to look like. Now everytime they tell you a story that involves their home, or whenever you think of that person at home, you imagine them in that home that you have built inside your mind.

I believe your question has a similar type of answer. Whenever you think of something, you imagine in a context of something you already know, understand, or can interpret. Just like the imaginary house you've built in your mind for your friend, you build images for things you do not know. For instance, if the comment were: "you could never imagine a house like this," I would think of the houses I've seen in my life, add that to their other comments, and then "up the ante" a bit in my mind, to create the house that I "can't imagine."

It's a bit of a twisted type of thinking, but I think it answers the question. Or maybe I'm just imagining this answer?

Answer 2

Yes. Yes, Yes.
You can think of something you cant imagine. Happens all the time.
There is plenty of room for imagination in the real world, Especially when your job is policing, law enforcement, medicine, law and scientific research. You do not stop with imagination, you have to tackle every single possibility. You have to keep on digging for solutions to problems, conjuring firewalls, security measures,

Why? The world depends on it. Thats why.

Answer 3

Well thinking and imagining are pretty much the same thing. but you can think of something you might not have been able to think of (or imagine) before. Darwin probably didnt imagine evolution until the idea came to him after studying different animals.

Answer 4

Yes, consider abstract mathematics and physics. There is even a branch of mathematics called imaginary numbers. Read about black holes if you want proof. People have thought about and considered concepts that are really too complex for most people to imagine.

There are some things we know, some things we know we don't know, and some things we don't know that we don't know.

Answer 5

Imagination has to do with the creation of mental images.

Your answer is YES. Every day people think of things for which they form no mental image.

Answer 6

Imagining includes thinking, but thinking does not necessarily include imagination. so the answer is yes.

Answer 7

No, so long as you define "think" and "imagine" as basically the same thing your sentence is logically impossible. One cannot, by definition, do something one cannot do.

Answer 8

Imagination is intelligence having fun...go have fun and let your mind wander.

Answer 9

yes, and it comes like a "dream come true", better than you would ever imagine

Answer 10

yes through fantasies and dreams.