"This book explores the imaginative processes at work in the artefacts of Classical Athens, building a diverse picture of culturally mediated thought in this period, prior to the development of explicit theories of the imagination in the centuries after Plato and Aristotle. When ancient Athenians strove to grasp 'justice' or 'war' or 'death', when they had dreams or encountered ghosts, when they deliberated upon problems, how did they do it? Did they think about what they were doing? Did they worry aboutit? Did they imagine an imagining mind? European notions of the imagination have often begun with philosophical theories, such as those of Aristotle. This volume is premised upon the idea that imaginative activity, especially efforts to articulate it, can take place in the absence of technical terminology or formal theory as developed in later periods. In exploring the imagination and self-reflection mediated by art and literature, the book scopes out the cultural roots of later, more explicit, theoretical enquiry. Taken together, the chapters explore a range of visual and verbal cultural artefacts from the Classical period. Approaching the topic from different angles - philosophical, historical, philological, literary, and art historical - they turn attention upon how these artefacts stimulate affective, sensory, meditative - in short, 'imaginative' - encounters between imagining bodies and their world. The Imagination of the Mind in Classical Athens offers a fascinating reassessment of "imagination" inancient Greek culture and thought, of interest to students and scholars researching ancient philosophies of mind, as well as those working on ancient philosophy, art, and Greek culture, thought, and literature more broadly"--
This book explores the imaginative processes at work in visual and verbal artefacts of Classical Athens. A fascinating reasssessment of "imagination" in this period, it is of interest to those working on ancient philosophies of mind and ancient Greek culture.
This book explores the imaginative processes at work in the artefacts of Classical Athens. When ancient Athenians strove to grasp justice or war or death, when they dreamt or deliberated, how did they do it? Did they think about what they were doing? Did they imagine an imagining mind?
European histories of the imagination have often begun with thinkers like Plato and Aristotle. By contrast, this volume is premised upon the idea that imaginative activity, and especially efforts to articulate it, can take place in the absence of technical terminology. In exploring an ancient culture of imagination mediated by art and literature, the book scopes out the roots of later, more explicit, theoretical enquiry. Chapters hone in on a range of visual and verbal artefacts from the Classical period. Approaching the topic from different angles philosophical, historical, philological, literary, and art historical they also investigate how these artefacts stimulate affective, sensory, meditative in short, imaginative encounters between imagining bodies and their world.
The Imagination of the Mind in Classical Athens offers a ground-breaking reassessment of imagination in ancient Greek culture and thought: it will be essential reading for those interested in not only philosophies of mind, but also ancient Greek image, text, and culture more broadly.
