Idea
This claim asserts that the dazzling, creative element does not remain an isolated individual experience, but spreads within the shared imagination among people. Groups are not formed by opinions alone, but also by images, emotions, and symbols that give them a sense of belonging. For this reason, this dimension becomes part of public cultural life, because it connects individuals to a world of meanings that exceeds direct calculation.
Concise Formulation
The dazzling, creative element: pervades: the collective imaginary among human beings
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This statement extends the idea that aesthetic and symbolic phenomena cannot be understood if confined to the individual alone. It supports a direction of thought that sees the group as also being built upon a shared imaginative store that guides reception and interpretation. In this way, it occupies a position that clarifies how experience moves from the level of private sensation to the level of inclusive culture.
Why It Matters
The importance of the claim lies in showing that society is not founded only on rules and institutions, but also on shared images that shape collective consciousness. This helps explain Arkoun’s concern with the imaginary as an active element in intellectual history. It also reminds us that changes in ideas are inseparable from changes in what a group imagines about itself and about the world.
Brief Evidence
This claim asserts that the dazzling, creative element does not remain an isolated individual experience, but spreads within the shared imagination among people. Groups are not formed by opinions alone, but also by images, emotions, and symbols that give them a sense of belonging. Therefore, this dimension becomes part of public cultural life, because it connects individuals to a world of meanings that goes beyond the immediately perceptible.
Reading Questions
- How is the collective imaginary formed from experiences that initially seem individual?
- What does this perspective add to our understanding of culture and history?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.