HUMA 200Imagination

Catalog

Why do we daydream, invent myths, or get lost in movies? Why can the mind conjure dragons, utopias, and alternate futures? This course dives into the strange power of imagination-the mental "sandbox" where reality and fantasy collide. We'll explore how philosophers wrestled with imagination, and how modern psychology and neuroscience reveal their role in creativity, empathy, and survival. Topics range from artistic inspiration and scientific discovery to the darker sides of imagination, like anxiety, nightmares, and conspiracy theories. Along the way, we'll ask: is imagination just make-believe, or is it a vital way of knowing the world?