A new project by philosophers explores imagination, its roles, and its applications in various areas of life

University of Tartu’s philosophers received funding from the Estonian Research Council for the project “Imagination in Cognition: Contemporary and Ancient Perspectives”. The five-year project brings together contemporary and Ancient Greek perspectives on imagination to better understand its diverse roles in human cognition. The project is led by Uku Tooming, with research team members Roomet Jakapi, Toomas Lott, and Riin Sirkel.

The project’s objectives are to:

• explore and problematise traditional distinctions between types of imagination and their intermediate forms;
• analyse the cognitive roles of imagination in various stages of inquiry, and;
• examine the development and application of imaginative skills in different areas of life.

Imagination plays multiple cognitive roles and is essential in framing, discussing, and solving problems in diverse fields such as education, social issues, and environmental challenges. The project is based on the assumption that dialogue between contemporary and ancient Greek philosophy can greatly enhance the study of imagination. While modern philosophy of imagination has largely focused on its role in justifying viewpoints, ancient Greek philosophy offers a broader framework—for instance, by exploring the connections between imagination, intellectual virtues, and education. Furthermore, applying modern conceptual distinctions can reveal new facets in ancient treatments of imagination. Uku Tooming, a researcher in theoretical philosophy and the project leader, emphasises that “such an approach, interweaving the philosophies of two eras in the study of imagination, is innovative and promising.”

The project has several outputs. In addition to publishing academic articles, there are plans to organise academic conferences and public events, compile special issues for journals, write a scholarly monograph, and create courses related to the project at the University of Tartu. To popularise the research, there are plans to publish opinion pieces in the media, create a lecture series on YouTube, and organise discussion groups in schools.

Project PRG2721 “Imagination in Cognition: Contemporary and Ancient Perspectives” (01.01.2025 – 31.12.2029) is led by Uku Tooming, Research Fellow in Theoretical Philosophy, who has been studying imagination from the perspective of contemporary philosophy of mind. In this project, he primarily focuses on evaluating and developing contemporary theories of imagination, drawing inspiration from both scientific psychology and Ancient Greek philosophy. Roomet Jakapi, Associate Professor of History of Philosophy, has worked on both contemporary theories of imagination and the history of philosophy. In addition to the study of imagination, his role in the project involves developing a methodology for productively synthesising the philosophies of different eras. Riin Sirkel, Associate Professor of Ancient Philosophy, examines Ancient Greek views of imagination, particularly those of Aristotle, his late antique commentators, and the Stoics. She is also interested in contemporary metaphysical and ethical questions related to this topic. Toomas Lott, Research Fellow in History of Philosophy, deals with epistemology in both Ancient Greek and contemporary philosophy and, in this project, investigates the relationship between imagination, opinion, and knowledge, as well as the role imagination plays in Socratic and Platonic ethics, politics, and education.