Imagination, Creativity, and Aphantasia
The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Imagination and Creativity March 27, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/9780197694855.003.0033 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that imagination is essential to creativity and that people with aphantasia can be creative, as imagination and memory rely on the same default mode network, which is not necessarily impaired in aphantasia. |
Abstract
Abstract Abstract This chapter focuses on the role of the imagination in creativity, using aphantasia as a case study. It first distinguishes between imagination and mental imagery, before giving an overview of what we know about aphantasia to date, focusing in particular on findings pertaining to creativity, imagination, and memory. It then turns to the role of the imagination in creativity, agreeing with philosophers that the imagination plays an essential role in creativity, which allows individuals to imagine a multitude of possibilities. This view is then supplemented with a theory of the neurocognitive underpinnings of the imagination, whereby both the imagination and memory are supported by the same neural network—the default mode network. Finally, the chapter argues that this fuller picture allows us to understand the creative abilities of people with aphantasia, thoroughly resisting the thought that they might generally be unimaginative or uncreative.