Is Imagination Voluntary or Involuntary?

     Question:  In reference to my first question, is imagination a voluntary or involuntary process?

      In class, we discussed how imagination needs to be intentional, therefore meaning that dreaming is not imaginative. However, I'm not so convinced. I am still undecided on whether or not dreaming is imaginative, but I don't believe that intention is always needed for imagination to occur. I feel as though using one's imagination is not always a voluntary process. For example, people daydream all the time without even realizing it. Does this mean their thoughts while daydreaming are not imaginative? I don't think this is the case.   I don't think we always use our imaginations with the intention of being imaginative. Sometimes we just automatically imagine things, without thinking about it. I am not denying that imagination is voluntary, I am just stating my belief that sometimes, imagination is involuntary and automatic.

Are Dreams Imaginative or Creative?

Question:  Would our dreams be considered imaginative, creative, or neither because dreaming is an involuntary, biological phenomenon?

After our discussions in class, I have decided that dreaming is definitely not creative, because it is involuntary. In order for something to be creative, it has to be voluntarily created. We have to use our imaginations to create an end product. With dreaming, however, we are not voluntarily creating a product. Everyone dreams, whether they remember them or not. Dreams occur automatically during REM sleep; there is no intention there. 

However, what about lucid dreaming? When someone has a lucid dream, they are able to control their dreams because they realize they are dreaming. If this is true, wouldn't their dreams be considered creative because they are using their imagination to create an end product? I believe that in this case, their dreams should be considered both imaginative and creative.