BGM: 東京少年 - れんがの学校
Today I worked late. This morning I read Kenichiro Mogi's "The Brain and Imagination" a little. In this book, Mogi tries to explain the power of imagination (the things we create by imagination) I read. That "imagination", in other words, a certain "qualia" in our brains makes our culture and civilization more thrilling. One example of "imagination" is Santa Claus. Yes, Santa Claus has no certain body (he is just an imaginary person) so he is nothing but an imaginary or fictional one. But we share that imaginary product in our society and build our life. I remembered my childhood through his writing. I was the one who dreamed of various products from my imagination (like characters of manga and anime) and felt the greatness of the world through a lot of pop songs.
Kenichiro Mogi keeps on his discussions as the real things for us are the ones our brains themselves feel like that, so they have the same value as the products of imaginary things (imagination or qualia). But he won't deny the meaning or greatness of the real world. The reality is here and we share that. But we also let our brains work by using imagination. He seems to capture that "actuality" of our lives. It's a quite thrilling one and I remembered that once I was into those kinds of philosophical ideas such as Hitoshi Nagai and Yoshimichi Nakajima. I also adored Wittgenstein's life and philosophy. How rich the visions this brain shows through the real are!
This afternoon I had lunch and finished reading. I started listening to music by Louis Armstrong. It sounded like a marvelous one which suit this afternoon's mood. I did my homework for the English conversation class with that great music. It was so a great experience that I wrote about it on my handout paper of homework. Indeed, meeting with new music or new people is important. But my sense seems got so old that I have been attracted by this kind of old music. Today is Setsubun and tomorrow is Rissyu, the sign that says spring comes. The world goes forward. As Louis Armstrong sings, actually "what a wonderful world".
I shared the handout I wrote in the group learning English on WhatsApp. The leader of that group Pili said to me it was grad. It's also my pleasure, and I thought that I want to enjoy this sympathy so I am learning English. I am living in Japan. Between me and the people who live in foreign lands and have different cultures and languages, we can share sympathy. This is the key to this world, this society. I remember the day of the meeting which enables me to learn English like this. Ah, once I was said that "your English is easy to understand" and "When you are speaking in English, you look so brilliant"... if I weren't said that, I would withdraw with saying I never am able to speak English because I had never studied abroad. This situation is a product of miracles so I feel thankful for that.
