The Imagination Station

In Blaise Pascal’s, Human Happiness, Pascal talks a lot about imagination and reason. He thinks that imagination is a very important element in our lives. He says, “Imagination decides everything: it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which is the world’s supreme good” (Pascal, 7). Pascal goes so far as to say that imagination decides everything. Pascal believes that imagination outweighs reason and can make us overrule our reason. He also believes that we can use imagination and reason together but not just reason itself. “Anyone who chose to follow reason alone would have proved himself a fool” (Pascal, 6). On the flip side, imagination can also be a very deceptive element in someone. It can change the way that we perceive things and also trick us into believing something that isn’t true. Imagination is an extremely powerful power in a human. It can give confidence and happiness in someone and it can also deceive them into changing how they think.

Imagination can create a sense of confidence, especially in an argument. Pascal talks about how reason and imagination are great together but reason alone can never win. “Men has been quite right to make these two powers into allies, although in this peace imagination enjoys an extensive advantage; for in conflicts its advantage is more complete. Reason never wholly overcomes imagination, while the contrary is quite common” (Pascal, 6). One of the reason that imagination always out weighs reason is because imagination can give one a false sense of confidence that can help persuade one to take their side in the argument. One can have a pointless topic but can persuade people into listening to them because through imagination they gained confidence. Pascal says, “Those who are clever in imagination are far more pleased with themselves than prudent men could reasonably be. They look down on people with lofty air, they are bold and confident in argument where others are timid and unsure, and their cheerful demeanor often wins the verdict of their listeners” (Pascal, 4). Imagination does not change their argument however it changes how they present their argument. Imagination gives them confidence that can persuade someone because it lets them know that the person giving the argument believes in it. These men who use imagination are more pleased with themselves because they use their imagination to let them relax and to allow them to calm down where as prudent men tend to be more high strung and worried about the future. This is how imagination can give one confidence.

            Imagination can also be a very deceptive element.  Pascal thinks that it’s very dominant in man. He says, “Imagination. It is the dominant faculty in man, master of error and falsehood, all the more deceptive for not being invariably so” (Pascal, 3). For some people, Imagination can turn a minuscule thing into something that can alter their whole life. Pascal says, “Put the world’s greatest philosopher on a plank that is wider than need be: if there is a precipice below, although his reason may convince him that he is safe, his imagination will prevail. Many could not even stand the thought of it without going pale and breaking into sweat” (Pascal, 5). In this passage, this philosopher can see that he is safe through his reasoning but his imagination tricks him into thinking that he is unsafe. Imagination is so powerful that it can play tricks on your mind and can change the way that you perceive things. Imagination can also help doctors deceive people. “But, as they only possess imaginary science, they have to resort to these vain devices in order to strike the imagination, which is their real concern, and this, in fact, is how they win respect” (Pascal, 7). Imagination again tricks us when we see doctors wearing the long robes and the square hats. We look at what they wear and never look and see if they actually possess the credentials that they portray. Since the physicians are working with “imaginary science”, they must wear these vain clothes to win the respect of others. Another example is the magistrates. They wear the red coats and swaddle themselves with ermine. All of this is necessary just to win the respect of the people. Imagination is necessary for professions like the physicians or people like the magistrates because they would not possess the respect without imagination. This is how imagination can deceive us and change how we perceive things.

            Imagination is a very important and valuable element to have in your life. Imagination can give you an advantage whenever you are in an argument and also just in everyday life. Imagination can give you confidence in yourself which can benefit people in almost everything that they do! Even though imagination is a good thing, just like everything else, it also has a bad side. Imagination can be deceptive towards yourself and towards other people. It can change the way that you think of your situation and of yourself. Imagination can also be used to deceive other people. Physicians and magistrates use this trick of deception in abundance. They strike up the imagination of other people by wearing clothes that win them respect. Imagination is a very important part of our everyday life. Imagination can be an advantage if you use it correctly because it gives people confidence and can also help them deceive people into giving us respect. This is how imagination is a very important element in our lives.