General Question

Haleth's avatar

Is there a technical term for the mind's eye?

Asked by Haleth (18947points) February 4th, 2011

We can dream, daydream, and remember, and see all those things in the mind’s eye. How does that work, and what’s the name for it?

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15 Answers

Aesthetic_Mess's avatar

Imagination
Subconscious
?

thorninmud's avatar

“Mental imagery” seems to be the most widely used term among people who study this phenomenon. As to how it works, this is a matter of much debate. Until recently, there has been a trend among many philosophers and scientists to even deny its existence (a position known as “iconophobia”). But cognitive psychologists now largely agree that it is a real phenomenon that deserves to be accounted for.

You won’t believe how convoluted the debate can get over the nature of such a common human experience. Take a look at this article on the subject from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Coloma's avatar

Consciousness.

Which is what we all really are. Pure awareness beyond the chatter of mind.

Summum's avatar

It is the 6th Chakra and is called the Third Eye if you have opened it then you can really see things from a different view.

thorninmud's avatar

Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but @Haleth seems to be asking about our mind’s ability to call up images without using the physical eye, as in daydreams and recalling past images, per her details. The “third eye”, Ajna and pure consciousness is something quite different

Coloma's avatar

@thorninmud

You may be right, then I would revise my answer to say memory, imagination.

Summum's avatar

When you talk of the Mind’s Eye then you refer to the Third eye. Though there is imagination and memory that brings up things from the past.

Summum's avatar

I guess that is my view of the term Mind’s Eye so I should qualify my statement. The statement above is my view. Thanks @thorninmud

VS's avatar

OK, I need to go poke my mind’s eye out now…

Plucky's avatar

Lol @VS

I agree with @thorninmud about “mental imagery” but, technically, it depends on your cultural beliefs and values. As others have brought up ..Chakra/Third Eye. Many people believe that visual mental imagery/consciousness is the sixth sense, Ajna chakra, Third Eye ..etc.

thorninmud's avatar

I’m not so sure, @PluckyDog. I think that people from cultures that actually work on “third eye chakra” development would be pretty surprised to hear it equated to picturing something in your head. When you read what’s written about the process of opening the third eye chakra, I can’t imagine a guru saying that it’s the same as, say, picturing the house you grew up in.

filmfann's avatar

visualization?

Haleth's avatar

Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but @Haleth seems to be asking about our mind’s ability to call up images without using the physical eye, as in daydreams and recalling past images, per her details. The “third eye”, Ajna and pure consciousness is something quite different

@thorninmud That’s exactly what I meant. I just skimmed the Stanford article and it looks like a great resource, just the information I was looking for. I’m going to give it an in-depth read once my work week is over.

@troubleinharlem Thank you for posting that article, very interesting! I look forward to learning more.

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