Amy Kind
@amylkind.bsky.social
Philosopher, Claremont McKenna College
In this week's Junkyard post, Jianghao Liu attempts to bridge empirical neuroscience and philosophical accounts of imagination and awareness by defending what he calls *the attention model* of aphantasia.
This week at the Junkyard: A post by Jianghao Liu junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/11...
Are we aware of neural activity in imagination? The attention model of conscious imagery and aphantasia — The Junkyard
A post by Jianghao Liu Please imagine a red Gala apple. Is it darker or lighter than a cherry? Most of us can easily conjure a mental image, a perceptual-like experience that feels almost as if we we...
junkyardofthemind.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:44 PM
In this week's Junkyard post, Jianghao Liu attempts to bridge empirical neuroscience and philosophical accounts of imagination and awareness by defending what he calls *the attention model* of aphantasia.
This week at The Junkyard, Maria Fedorova explores the nature of psychedelic visions and argues that they are immersive mental simulations. "quasi-perceptual in terms of their phenomenology and imaginative with respect to their cognitive origin."
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Maria Fedorova junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/10...
Psychedelic visions are immersive mental simulations — The Junkyard
A post by Maria Fedorova In a series of interviews conducted by T. C. Swift and his colleagues on psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in “magic” mushrooms) experiences of cancer patients suffering ...
junkyardofthemind.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This week at The Junkyard, Maria Fedorova explores the nature of psychedelic visions and argues that they are immersive mental simulations. "quasi-perceptual in terms of their phenomenology and imaginative with respect to their cognitive origin."
This week at The Junkyard, Luke Roelofs asks: What exactly do we do when we leave something to the imagination? And what is the “imagination” that things are being left to?
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Luke Roelofs junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/10...
Leaving It to the Imagination — The Junkyard
A post by Luke Roelofs There’s a common idea that sometimes the best aesthetic choice is to “leave something to the imagination”, where that primarily means not presenting it explicitly. Sometimes...
junkyardofthemind.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:11 PM
This week at The Junkyard, Luke Roelofs asks: What exactly do we do when we leave something to the imagination? And what is the “imagination” that things are being left to?
Sheila Pontis on how to harness the power of imagination to improve emotional well-being.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Sheila Pontis junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/10...
How to boost imagination and emotional well-being through an integrated approach — The Junkyard
A post by Sheila Pontis The pace of global change has only grown in recent years, spiraling uncertainty about the present and future. Discouraging news reported daily increases feelings of anxiety, ...
junkyardofthemind.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Sheila Pontis on how to harness the power of imagination to improve emotional well-being.
In this week's post at The Junkyard, Edvard Aviles-Meza argues that imaginative experience plays an important role in determining whether phenomenal consciousness overflows attention.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Edvard Aviles-Meza junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/10...
Imaginative Jailbreak and Phenomenal Overflow — The Junkyard
A post by Edvard Aviles-Meza Have a look at Raphael’s School of Athens (figure 1 below). During a quick glance, do you see each of the individuals depicted? Surely, you wouldn’t recognize them at...
junkyardofthemind.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:42 PM
In this week's post at The Junkyard, Edvard Aviles-Meza argues that imaginative experience plays an important role in determining whether phenomenal consciousness overflows attention.
Noting the diversity of strategies that we use in empathizing with others, Sarah Vernallis argues that the roles of imagination in empathy are more varied than the standard story allows.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Sarah Vernallis junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/9/...
Imaginative Choices in Empathy — The Junkyard
A post by Sarah Vernallis Empathy is an imaginative activity. When we succeed in empathizing, we come to understand what it is like for another person. But what role, exactly, does the imagination pl...
junkyardofthemind.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Noting the diversity of strategies that we use in empathizing with others, Sarah Vernallis argues that the roles of imagination in empathy are more varied than the standard story allows.
How can we learn through play? According to Lucia Oliveri, our learning owes to imagination. In her post for The Junkyard, she presents an argument for this claim inspired by the work of Comenius and Leibniz.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Lucia Oliveri junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/9/...
Imagine Learning Through Play — The Junkyard
A post by Lucia Oliveri Imagine a world destroyed by a thirty-year-long war, the most devastating war that seventeenth-century Europe had ever seen. Imagine standing in front of a destroyed land, lik...
junkyardofthemind.com
September 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM
How can we learn through play? According to Lucia Oliveri, our learning owes to imagination. In her post for The Junkyard, she presents an argument for this claim inspired by the work of Comenius and Leibniz.
Niklas Maranca discusses his work to develop imagination games – formats that integrate perception, imagination, and reflection – towards the goal of showing how imaginative processes can be practiced, observed, and investigated in a structured yet experiential way.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Niklas Maranca junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/9/...
Touching Invisible Walls — The Junkyard
A post by Niklas Maranca Insight into the structure and approach of a practice-based PhD project on imagination This text traces a path from practice to research. It opens with three short scenes ...
junkyardofthemind.com
September 17, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Niklas Maranca discusses his work to develop imagination games – formats that integrate perception, imagination, and reflection – towards the goal of showing how imaginative processes can be practiced, observed, and investigated in a structured yet experiential way.
Seth Goldwasser reviews Melz Owusu's *Undisciplined* -- a book that calls upon the need for radical imagination as part of its argument for the abolishment of academia as an institution.
This week at The Junkyard: Seth Goldwasser reviews Melz Owusu's *Undisciplined* junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/9/...
The University in Crisis: A Review of Undisciplined: Reclaiming the Right to Imagine — The Junkyard
A post by Seth Goldwasser I never had the pleasure of meeting or speaking with Dr. Melz Owusu before his passing, which occurred after I had cited interest in reviewing his book. I’m deeply saddened ...
junkyardofthemind.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Seth Goldwasser reviews Melz Owusu's *Undisciplined* -- a book that calls upon the need for radical imagination as part of its argument for the abolishment of academia as an institution.
The Junkyard returns from its summer hiatus with a post from Mark Windsor and Jakub Stejskal on the archaeological sublime and the imaginative failure it involves.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Mark Windsor and Jakub Stejskal junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/8/...
In and out of touch with the past: the archaeological sublime — The Junkyard
A post by Mark Windsor and Jakub Stejskal Many of us are inexorably drawn to material remains of humanity’s deep past: we like to read about new archaeological finds and observe them up close in sit...
junkyardofthemind.com
September 3, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The Junkyard returns from its summer hiatus with a post from Mark Windsor and Jakub Stejskal on the archaeological sublime and the imaginative failure it involves.
Reposted by Amy Kind
APA Pacific 2026 paper submissions are open with two new options: workshops for structured discussion of in-progress work, and lightning sessions for testing out new ideas. Colloquium and symposium options are still available as well! Submit a paper today. papers.apaonline.org
August 7, 2025 at 2:13 PM
APA Pacific 2026 paper submissions are open with two new options: workshops for structured discussion of in-progress work, and lightning sessions for testing out new ideas. Colloquium and symposium options are still available as well! Submit a paper today. papers.apaonline.org
Call for Abstracts
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29–30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29–30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Creative Imagination from Art to Science
Call for Abstracts
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29–30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Over the last couple of decades, ima...
philevents.org
July 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Call for Abstracts
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29–30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Workshop: Creative Imagination from Art to Science
University of Geneva, September 29–30, 2025
Organizers: Julia Langkau and Amy Kind
Eric Peterson on the mutual reinforcement of value between imagination and free speech
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Eric Peterson junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/6/...
Free Speech and Imagination — The Junkyard
A post by Eric Peterson Free speech is either a civil liberty essential for a flourishing liberal democracy or a threat to that very democracy, depending on who you ask. There are many arguments that...
junkyardofthemind.com
June 4, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Eric Peterson on the mutual reinforcement of value between imagination and free speech
Reposted by Amy Kind
I'm Dr. Annie Andrews. I’m a pediatrician, not a politician. But either way I know how to handle people who are full of sh*t.
Today I am announcing my campaign for US Senate to replace Lindsey Graham. Share this if you're with me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8wM...
Today I am announcing my campaign for US Senate to replace Lindsey Graham. Share this if you're with me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8wM...
Annie Andrews Launch Video: "Unafraid"
YouTube video by Annie Andrews
www.youtube.com
May 29, 2025 at 11:50 AM
I'm Dr. Annie Andrews. I’m a pediatrician, not a politician. But either way I know how to handle people who are full of sh*t.
Today I am announcing my campaign for US Senate to replace Lindsey Graham. Share this if you're with me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8wM...
Today I am announcing my campaign for US Senate to replace Lindsey Graham. Share this if you're with me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8wM...
Come join me at the WCA in Edmonton this fall! philevents.org/event/show/1...
Western Canadian Philosophical Association
Call for Papers
The 61st annual meeting of the
Western Canadian Philosophical Association
in conjunction with the 9th annual meeting of the
Canadian Society for Environmental Philosophy/ Sociét...
philevents.org
May 28, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Come join me at the WCA in Edmonton this fall! philevents.org/event/show/1...
Felipe Morales Carbonell on imagining how, epistemic friction, and epistemic freedom
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Felipe Morales Carbonell junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/5/...
To imagine how, creatively — The Junkyard
A post by Felipe Morales Carbonell Note: This is a side-piece to a longer essay I am working on, which focuses on how imagination can help us learn how to do things or how to act. The topic here is ...
junkyardofthemind.com
May 28, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Felipe Morales Carbonell on imagining how, epistemic friction, and epistemic freedom
Reposted by Amy Kind
Congratulations to Dustin Locke of Claremont McKenna College, winner of the 2024 Anthony J. Lisska Prize! www.apaonline.org/page/2025pri...
www.apaonline.org
May 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Congratulations to Dustin Locke of Claremont McKenna College, winner of the 2024 Anthony J. Lisska Prize! www.apaonline.org/page/2025pri...
Brendan Bo O'Connor reports on recent work from his lab that sheds light on the question of how co-imagining a shared future with someone else might influence social connection, and also how it might shape the phenomenology and content of what is imagined.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Brendan Bo O'Connor junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/5/...
Co-imagination: The future we imagine — The Junkyard
A post by Brendan Bo O’Connor Our future is not a foregone conclusion. It’s actively constructed at the horizon of the present. In a moment when the world feels divisive and isolating, I’d like to sh...
junkyardofthemind.com
May 21, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Brendan Bo O'Connor reports on recent work from his lab that sheds light on the question of how co-imagining a shared future with someone else might influence social connection, and also how it might shape the phenomenology and content of what is imagined.
Tom Schoonen raises a worry for the truth-conditional condition of one prominent logic of imagination, Berto’s two-component semantics.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Tom Schoonen junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/5/...
It's not all about aboutness — The Junkyard
A post by Tom Schoonen It's been almost ten years since a great burst of logics of imagination appeared (depending on when you start counting, of course). The idea behind these formalisations is th...
junkyardofthemind.com
May 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Tom Schoonen raises a worry for the truth-conditional condition of one prominent logic of imagination, Berto’s two-component semantics.
Cassi Vieten on how imagination can heal our relationship to the past and can also help us build a better future.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Cassandra Vieten junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/5/...
The Power of Reimagining: How Imagination Can Reshape Our Past, Future, and Selves — The Junkyard
A post by Cassandra Vieten As a psychologist and researcher, my career has focused on how people change. In particular, I have investigated the experiences, practices, and environments that transform...
junkyardofthemind.com
May 7, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Cassi Vieten on how imagination can heal our relationship to the past and can also help us build a better future.
Nick Wiltsher takes a stand against the claim that imagination is valuable as a way of achieving epistemic ends; in his view, "the value of epistemic imagining must have to do with the fact that one is using imagination to pursue epistemic ends; the value inheres in the process, not in the product."
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Nick Wiltsher junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/4/...
The value of epistemic imagining — The Junkyard
A post by Nick Wiltsher Here are three related claims to which I’m increasingly sympathetic: (1) Imagination has no distinctive epistemic ends. (2) The epistemic ends that can be pursued using imag...
junkyardofthemind.com
April 30, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Nick Wiltsher takes a stand against the claim that imagination is valuable as a way of achieving epistemic ends; in his view, "the value of epistemic imagining must have to do with the fact that one is using imagination to pursue epistemic ends; the value inheres in the process, not in the product."
Caterina Moruzzi makes that case that imagining the future of our creative interactions with AI technologies is crucially important for proactively anticipating the transformative impact of these emerging technologies on creative education and professional practice.
This week at the Junkyard: A post by Caterina Moruzzi junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/4/...
Imagining The Future of Creative Skills and Education — The Junkyard
A post by Caterina Moruzzi Imagine the near future of 2030 where AI has become deeply embedded in creative workflows. What does that future look like? This is one of the questions that ...
junkyardofthemind.com
April 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Caterina Moruzzi makes that case that imagining the future of our creative interactions with AI technologies is crucially important for proactively anticipating the transformative impact of these emerging technologies on creative education and professional practice.
Heidi Maibom and Kyle Furlane on how empathy can bring about a gestalt shift -- and more specifically, a gestalt shift that is a shift in moral orientation.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Heidi L. Maibom and Kyle Furlane junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/4/...
Getting our Shift Together: Empathy and Moral Gestalt Shifts — The Junkyard
A post by Heidi L. Maibom and Kyle Furlane In his essay Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell describes the following encounter with a fascist: “a man, presumably carrying a message to an officer, jum...
junkyardofthemind.com
April 17, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Heidi Maibom and Kyle Furlane on how empathy can bring about a gestalt shift -- and more specifically, a gestalt shift that is a shift in moral orientation.
How can we achieve understanding across polarized gaps? Shannon Spaulding raises some worries for the suggestion that we should do so not by way of empathy but by way of trust.
This week at The Junkyard: A post by Shannon Spaulding junkyardofthemind.com/blog/2025/4/...
Trust and Empathy — The Junkyard
A post by Shannon Spaulding Can you have trust without understanding? This is not an esoteric question. It is a question directly relevant for the many politically and affectively polarized debates i...
junkyardofthemind.com
April 10, 2025 at 3:58 AM
How can we achieve understanding across polarized gaps? Shannon Spaulding raises some worries for the suggestion that we should do so not by way of empathy but by way of trust.
Happy birthday to The Junkyard! It's hard for me to believe that we've been doing this for eight years, and I definitely didn't realize what I was getting myself into when it all started, but I'm so happy I decided to give it a go. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of the blog thus far!
The Junkyard turns 8 today! Happy birthday to us! Over these last 8 years, we've run well over 400 posts from well over 200 different contributors, and we've garnered over 121K distinct visitors. Thanks to all our contributors and readers for helping to make this blog what it is.
April 3, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Happy birthday to The Junkyard! It's hard for me to believe that we've been doing this for eight years, and I definitely didn't realize what I was getting myself into when it all started, but I'm so happy I decided to give it a go. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of the blog thus far!