Gurevich P.S. Imagination and Fantasy

Abstract: The article is devoted to imagination as a special gift that only human may have. The author of the article reflects on the amazing ability of human to create fantastic worlds, to escape from the reality in their daydreams, to evoke dreams and to put himself and others to sleep. In this regard, the author of the article underlines the role of dreams, poetic fantasy, human creativity, his passion for play,  hallucinative illusions and visions. The author appeals to the two initial sources of ancient culture described by Nietzsche, the Appolonian and the Dionysian. In his article Gurevich views human passion for dreaming as an attempt to extend the borders of human existence, to grasp the other worlds beyond man's power and to complete the missing fragments of human existence. The article is based on serious achievements of philosophy regarding such phenomena as myth, play and fanstasy. The author also uses the methods of philosophical anthropology. The article presents an attempt to view all sides of human existence that rae related to play. The author distinguishes between the definitions of imagination and fantasy and analyzes different forms of escape from the reality. The author tries to find the reasons of escape from the reality in dreams, art, carnivals and parades. He shows that human ability and passion for fantasizing prove the imcompleteness of human and his longing for being complete.   

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