Using Imagination as an Epistemic Tool

Abstract

The research question of the paper is whether we can acquire knowledge by using our imagination. I work with later Wittgenstein’s thesis according to which there is a difference between ordinary and philosophical doubt, I call them local and global doubts. According to Wittgenstein, philosophical doubt is not rooted in any language game, since it doubts something undoubtable. In a similar way, I distinguish local and global imagining suggesting only the local one can bring a piece of knowledge. In the last part of the paper I search for scientific evidence for my thesis and conclude that only particular examples help us to learn or predict our future experience.