Is Imagination More Important Than Knowledge? a debate run by enslavedbyfaeries

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 13 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Do you believe that the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination?

 

A debate inspired by an Albert Einstein quote...

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

Who was Albert Einstein? 

Albert Einstein (German: ; English: ) (March 14, 1879 ? April 18, 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist. He is best known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass?energy equivalence, E = mc 2. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

Einstein's many contributions to physics include his special theory of relativity, which reconciled mechanics with electromagnetism, and his general theory of relativity, which extended the principle of relativity to non-uniform motion, creating a new theory of gravitation. His other contributions include relativistic cosmology, capillary action, critical opalescence, classical problems of statistical mechanics and their application to quantum theory, an explanation of the Brownian movement of molecules, atomic transition probabilities, the quantum theory of a monatomic gas, thermal properties of light with low radiation density (which laid the foundation for the photon theory), a theory of radiation including stimulated emission, the conception of a unified field theory, and the geometrization of physics.

Einstein published over 300 scientific works and over 150 non-scientific works. His non-scientific works include: About Zionism: Speeches and Lectures by Professor Albert Einstein (1930), "Why War?" (1933, co-authored by Sigmund Freud), The World As I See It (1934), Out of My Later Years (1950), and a book on science for the general reader, The Evolution of Physics (1938, co-authored by Leopold Infeld). Einstein is revered by the physics community, and in 1999 Time magazine named him the "Person of the Century". In wider culture the name "Einstein" has become synonymous with genius.

Do you agree with Albert Einstein? 

Do you believe that the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination?

What is more important, imagination or knowledge?

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Imagination

Aziel says:

If Einstein said it was imagination, then it is imagination that holds first place.

Imagination says:

I think, if u have strong imagination, then you can observed things in good way. And that will increase your knowledge.

Lyra Rose says:

imagination is more important because you need imagination to come up with all the technology we have today. even in things like dance, acting, computers, and fashion which are all parts of our society.

JaneDoe01 says:

"what the mind of man can conceive, he can achieve" with all the knowledge in the world, and no imagination you can't do much with the knowledge, but with a lot of imagination, you have the world at your feet.

BFuniv.com says:

With technology, mere access to knowledge is approaching zero cost. On a personal basis, it is therefor more important to imagine. You can fill in the blanks later. Wood may be necessary to have a fire, but without flame it will warm no one. Knowledge is wood, imagination the flame.

Knowledge alone breeds only arrogance. Imagination is what inspires useful learning. As Eric Hoffer, the longshoreman philosopher, said:

"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future.
The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists."

We are in a time of drastic change.

Zarea says:

Imagination leads you to explore, which provides you with more knowledge!

ILKESTARS says:

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

SandraBelegi says:

I agree with uncle Albert! With imagination, the only limits you will encounter will be the ones imposed by your own mind. Imagination rocks :) But like knowledge, it doesn't mean much if it's not put to use.

GrowWear says:

Hey, if the Great Einstein said it, I believe it. :)

ArtSiren says:

Perhaps the quote is a metaphor that Einstein found amusing. So I think imagination and knowledge are 'the same thing', just viewed at different points in time. In the same way that Energy and mass are the same thing.

But, since I've voted 'imagination': mass (of uranium/plutonium) is more important (and rare), as it generates vast energy for Mankind. Similarly, imagination is more important (and rare), as it generates vast knowledge for Mankind. A beautiful metaphor - thanks Albie!

roysumit says:

Imagination helps you spread your wings while knowledge tells you,wings are meant for birds not you.

Amanda_Blue says:

An extremely knowledgeable friend once bemoaned to me her over-educated brain, saying it was a kind of prison which inhibited originality, inspiration and free flights of fancy; and yes, I agree with Einstein that imagination is a truer sign of intelligence than knowledge, and therefore more important.

Jan Michael says:

We can send our children to school to become knowledgeable, but without their imagination to advance that knowledge, our society would stagnate.

SivartM says:

Technically, you might only be imagining that you have the knowledge you have.

bdkz says:

I think that imagination is the key to being knowledgable.

says:

Sadly you don't have a "Both" option but I guess that would make the question irrelevant. However, I do believe that in an ideal world, they are interdependent.

Imagination without knowledge is just a dream. Knowledge without imagination is just an encyclopaedia.

To benefit from either, you really need both. I suppose that gives us a dreamy encyclopaedia....... ???

Incidentally, looking at the other posts, I suspect many agree with me.

I'm going to place this under "Imagination" but only because it's the first choice.

Jimmie says:

Yes, imagination and creativity are more important. Without them, there is no knowledge. My daughter and I just finished studying Einstein. Fascinating man! And a great inspiration to any child struggling in some particular subject.

ElizabethJeanAllen says:

Yes! Einstein was smart but he also beleived in "thinking outside of the box."

alienflower says:

Didn't Einstein also say something to the effect of "it's not that I'm so smart, it's just the rest of you are..." Well, you get the picture. I may be paraphrasing - I can't quite remember. It's not my fault you know, it's just that I was blessed with way more imagination than intelligence.

This also brings to mind that scene in Anne of Green Gables when Anne says, "You might have thought of this yourself if you had any imagination!"

EelKat says:

wow, this is a hard one. I'm leaning towards imagination here, because when you use your imagination, you end up doing things that in turn help you to learn, thus gaining knowledge in the long run and having fun along the way.

Knowledge

eccles1 says:

Albert Einstein is saying "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
to US humans... and this is the whole problem too much imagination and no facts no knowledge=human nature at its best full of conflic and heartaches

RobPrice says:

Imagination feeds off knowledge. The more you know the more you are able to imagine.

EelKat says:

Even though I already voted for imagination, I've got to say that knowledge is pretty important too. In some respects I think they are actually equal, because imagination can certainly inspire you to learn thus increasing your knowledge, yet on the other hand, learning and seeking out knowledge can inspire your imagination as well. So maybe they are best together and either one without the other would be not so good.

Boy, I wish there was a third option so I could say : both!

spirituality says:

I'll start this one out. Knowledge is more important: without knowledge our whole society would crumble. Imagination is the icing on the cake.

 
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Easy poll for those who may have misplaced their imagination and/or ability to type. 

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Books about Albert Einstein 

Ideas and Opinions

The New Quotable Einstein

The World As I See It

Introduce your kids to young Albert Einstein 

 

Albert Einstein Quotes

Quotes by Albert Einstein accompanied by Mozart.

powered by YouTube

The Best Albert Einstein Quotes (as decided by you) 

Add your favorite and vote!

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

3 points

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

2 points

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

1 point

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."

0 points

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."

0 points

"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible."

0 points

Einstein Recordings 

NOT SO LONG AGO - 1960 NBC TV PROJECT TWENTY LP

Einstein on YouTube 


Albert Einstein (01)

Albert Einstein Photos

E=mc²: Einstein explains his famous formula

Albert Einstein Comes To America (1933)

A Tribute to Albert Einstein

My inspiration for this debate...

I noticed this quote by Albert Einstein hanging on the wall of a classroom in my daughter's Montessori/Liberal Arts school and it just stuck in my mind until I realized that it would make a great debate for HeyMonkeyBrain!

 

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ms-giggles

My imagination just gave you 10 trillion stars for your lens. May the brightness of 10 trillion stars shine down on you with health, wealth and Gods goodness.
Cheers Beth

Posted May 27, 2008

hamdani

yes,
Imagination is the most powerful of all the issues which a human being is bestowed. Without imagination would not have taken place. Imagination is the all powerful intution gifted by the Almighty. Knowledge is the essence of the Imagination. Imagination is the wisdom which is possessed by every human being. I strongly believe that Imagination is the only strong tool which we have by the Almighty.

Posted May 27, 2008

SivartM

Great lens, I've never heard that Albert Einstein quote before and never really thought about imagination versus knowledge. Neat debate!

Posted May 22, 2008

bdkz

Great debate I featured you on Cowabunga! http://bdkz.typepad.com/cowabunga/

Posted May 21, 2008

jacquelinestone

What great imagination you had to inspire you to search for all this knowledge!

Posted May 18, 2008

 
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