Chronicles of Metaverse: Imagination As Starter of the Metaverse

*Editor’s note: K-VIBE invites experts from various K-culture sectors to share their extraordinary discovery about the Korean culture.

By Noh Seok-joon (Master K-architect engineer)

The starting point of the metaverse is undoubtedly imagination. Imagination gave rise to virtuality, which in turn created virtual worlds, eventually leading to the present-day metaverse. No matter how advanced technology becomes, without imagination, it is impossible to implement anything new in reality, nor can we hope for better changes and progress.

American astronomer Carl Edward Sagan emphasized the importance of imagination in his work Cosmos, stating, "There is nowhere you can go without imagination."

The earliest way humanity gave shape to virtuality was through art. Prehistoric humans depicted scenes of courageous hunting and imagined creatures, passed down through oral stories, by drawing them on earth, rocks, or wood. These efforts brought intangible, mental images into tangible, visible forms. As civilization and science advanced, painting evolved in various ways, but one constant remained: every image in art is the result of the artist's creative imagination.

Artistic imagination is born from specific motivations. These motivations could stem from actual objects or abstract mental images. Such motivations inspire the artist, leading to the manifestation of imagination, which materializes into concrete images. Early human drawings, too, were the result of stimuli that triggered imagination and resulted in their creation.

◇ Imagination: Deception and Error, or an Active Mental Faculty?

To understand the metaverse, a digital virtual world born of human imagination, we must consider the historical relationship between imagination and imagery, especially through Western theories of imagination. Traditional Western philosophy often held that only objective and rational thinking based on reason could advance humanity. Imagination and imagery were associated with illusions, leading to delusions and deception.

Plato introduced the concepts of phantasia and idea, asserting that images provided no knowledge of reality. Aristotle viewed images formed through sensory and cognitive processes as mental representations but continued to dismiss imagination as unimportant, labeling art as mere "mimesis" (imitation of nature).

During the Renaissance, the negative perception of imagination intensified, equating it with "physical senses." Thus, for a long time, imagination and related emotional aspects were shunned as falsehoods and errors, obstructive to reason in Western society.

In the 17th century, empiricist philosophers argued that only practical human experience formed the foundation of knowledge and science. They categorized the inner mental realm as a passive organ. However, with the rise of Romanticism, which valued the human mind, imagination came to be seen as an active mental faculty.

Romantic poet and critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) provided a concrete explanation and theoretical framework for imagination. He described imagination as a "mental faculty that drives transformation" and the ability to "reveal the truths hidden by the phenomenal world."

Coleridge distinguished between primary imagination, rooted in experiential understanding, and secondary, creative imagination, which added a conscious, transformative layer. Drawing from his experience as a poet, Coleridge theorized the creative process of forming shapes from experiences, framing imagination as the principle behind artistic creation.

In Western philosophy, imagination was historically regarded as an obstacle to reason and a source of error. However, 20th-century thinkers, including Carl Gustav Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, began highlighting its potential to address modern psychological imbalances and enrich inner life.

Edmund Husserl, the founder of phenomenology, emphasized the role of conscious self-reflection in extracting the essence beyond mere facts. Similarly, French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty connected perception and thought as experiential foundations, arguing that the mental world of ideas and the sensory world of experiences are not separate.

These phenomenological philosophers highlighted the consciousness of the imaginative subject as a crucial element of human mental activity. However, their views remained within the broader Western tradition of prioritizing reason.

◇ Bachelard's Exploration of Imagination and Materiality

French philosopher Gaston Bachelard challenged this rationalist tradition, asserting that the subjective world of imagery and imagination holds precedence over reason. He recognized that the connection between the real world and the dream world operates through our emotions, which play a more decisive role in human life than previously understood.

Bachelard sought to interpret imagery not as visual forms but through the materials that compose them. For example, he argued that water’s significance lies not in its external shape as determined by the container but in the emotional perception it evokes. The fear inspired by a stormy sea contrasts with the cheerfulness of a babbling spring, even though both involve the same element.

Similarly, Bachelard observed that the imagined image of a cubic object varies depending on the material. A cube made of cold metal versus one of soft clay evokes distinct associations. In the case of clay, its tactile softness might trigger memories and lead to daydreams, expanding the imagery associated with the material. In this way, clay becomes a "primal substance that is part of us."

Bachelard's assertion that "a person looking at a candle does not simply see the flame but meditates upon it" underscores the materiality of fire as a means of inner contemplation. Material images, therefore, arise from the power to imagine the materiality of objects.

Bachelard believed that even the imaginative world operates under a certain order. He proposed the "Law of Four Elements," asserting that all images stem from imagination but follow clear rules. In Water and Dreams (L’eau et les rêves), he wrote:

"In the realm of imagination, it is possible to classify various material imaginations according to the element—fire, air, water, or earth—to which they are tied."

Bachelard studied the works of globally renowned writers, finding that each tended to unconsciously prefer one of the four elements, reflecting it in their creations. He noted, for instance, that E.T.A. Hoffmann favored imagery of fire, Edgar Allan Poe and Algernon Swinburne preferred water, and Friedrich Nietzsche was drawn to air.

Imagination and imagery are recurring themes in existential philosophy, notably in the works of Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre regarded imagination as fundamental, famously stating, "There is no thought without imagination."

Jean-Paul Sartre criticized the traditional concept of images, which often attributed material qualities to them. He argued that this approach, shared by many philosophers, reduced images to static, objectified entities. Rejecting this notion, Sartre proposed that images should be understood as an activity of consciousness, not as tangible objects.

According to scholars studying the relationship between imagination and imagery, the original form—or archetype—of material remains unchanged. However, the way individuals imagine its materiality results in varied personal images. Applying this concept to the digital virtual realm of the metaverse, the forms of virtual spaces evolve with advancements in technology, yet their archetypal essence remains constant.

For example, prehistoric cave paintings like those in Spain’s Altamira or France’s Lascaux depict the unchanging archetypes of caves and animals. However, the way these images are perceived differs greatly between modern viewers and prehistoric humans. The latter likely experienced these images within the dark cave environments, influenced by shifting light, ritual performances, and emotions like fear or desire, culminating in a profoundly different imaginative experience.

Similarly, in the digital metaverse, foundational elements like digital technology, devices, and advanced graphics represent the unchanged archetypes. Yet, the imaginative spaces created within the metaverse are entirely new, transcending their original forms. The same applies to the spaces, avatars, and activities rendered in the metaverse.

Avatars representing individuals, buildings symbolizing real-world structures, and the activities occurring within these constructs maintain their archetypal essence. However, the images and experiences differ depending on how each participant in the metaverse imagines and interacts with these elements. This results in distinct variations of virtuality shaped by individual imagination.

The power of imagination enables individuals to conjure unique images even when observing the same object. Consequently, the images we encounter in the future metaverse depend entirely on our collective and individual imagination.