ABSTRACT
A better way to describe the relation would be to say that imagination simulates this other thing, borrowing a term that has recently acquired a special sense in the philosophy of mind. One advantage of this term is that it suggests that the similarities between imagining and what it simulates are similarities of function. The creative imagination is of obvious importance for the production of art works, it can be important for the successful interpretation of complex works as well; symbol and metaphor invite us to create meaning, and to see connections that are far from obvious. The recreative imagination is fundamental to a proper engagement with many art works, particularly where the work has a strong representational content. There is an important connection between imagination and representational art has been powerfully argued by Kendall Walton. The similarities between imagining and believing are important, and a significant clue to the nature of imagining.
