"An object is not first imagined or thought about and then expected or willed, but in being actively expected it is imagined as future and in being willed it is thought"
About this Quote
Samuel Alexander's quote delves into the interaction in between expectation, creativity, and will, suggesting that the process of how we view and communicate with things is not linear however dynamic and interwoven. Initially glimpse, the quote posits a departure from the traditional sequence where an item is first thought about in the mind and then acted on. Rather, Alexander recommends that the act of expecting a things is itself a kind of imagining it in the future.
To analyze this, we can think about expectation as a proactive mental state. When we anticipate something, we are not passively waiting on it to happen; instead, this expectation shapes our mental images and future point of views. Alexander implies that the imagination does not merely follow from cognitive consideration however is actively built through the act of expectation. This implies that the future is not simply a static eventuality but is dynamically produced in our minds through what we expect.
Likewise, the idea that a things "in being willed it is thought" shows that the act of prepared something involves an intrinsic cognitive process. Ready is not a passive hope however an active type of thinking that affects our understanding and interaction with the object. The relationship in between will and thought is reciprocal; the effort of will requires idea, and thought propels the will to manifest objectives.
In essence, Alexander's viewpoint recommends a more fluid and integrated model of human cognition. Expectation and will are not mere afterthoughts following cognitive procedures but are important to the formation and understanding of truth. This philosophical view encourages a re-examination of how intent and anticipation actively form our understanding of things and occasions, underscoring a more holistic method to comprehending awareness and interaction with the world.
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