Thread Links Date Links
Thread Prev Thread Next Thread Index Date Prev Date Next Date Index

ONT Re: Exilaration


¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤

| Just as the imagination employs figures in order to conceive of bodies,
| so, in order to frame ideas of spiritual things, the intellect makes
| use of certain bodies which are perceived through the senses, such
| as wind and light.  By this means we may philosophize in a more
| exalted way, and develop the knowledge to raise our minds to
| lofty heights.
|
| It may seem surprising to find weighty judgements in the writings
| of the poets rather than the philosophers.  The reason is that the
| poets were driven to write by enthusiasm and the force of imagination.
| We have within us the sparks of knowledge, as in a flint:  philosophers
| extract them through reason, but poets force them out through the sharp
| blows of the imagination, so that they shine more brightly.
|
| René Descartes, 'Olympica', CSM 1, page 4.
|
| René Descartes, 'The Philosophical Writings of Descartes', Volume 1,
| Translated by John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff, Dugald Murdoch,
| Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1985.

¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~¤