The Power of Imagination

I've been rereading some essays on David Hume, just to see if I actually have a decent understanding of his 'empirical psychology'. I came across a concept I thought quite interesting, relating to the power of imagination, versus reason.

Hume's tentative justification of causal inferences recognizes the imagination as their cause. The imagination, Hume claims, causes true beliefs; the imagination has not only weight but also authority. Hume claims that the imagination has authority because a benevolent Nature has implanted it within man to give him those true beliefs which are so indespensable for living. Not reason but the imagination is Nature's prime instrument for leading men to truth. Hume furthur suggests that nature has wisely chosen the imagination as its instrument, for the imagination can give rise to true beliefs without the reflection of which most men, all children, and all animals are incapable.

Upon closer examination of Hume's view we see that, strictly speaking, it is not their being caused by the imagination which justifies causal inferences. It is rather their being caused by what is 'permanent, irresistable, and universal' in all men's imaginations which justifies them. Only that core of the human imagination common to all men has, presumably, been implanted by Nature; other traits of the imagination which vary from man to man have been formed by other influences.

-Hume's Defence of Causal Inference, John W. Lenz

This is strikingly naïve coming from Hume, but still kind of a fascinating idea. Hume later rejected this 'proposed justification of causal beliefs', because well, it had some problems. Still, I could almost believe that it is my imagination, and not my ability to reason, which has kept me alive.