Knowlege vs Imagination: which is more important?

[thumpsky]

It can be tricky defining my terms here, but I'll just give examples of what I mean.

Knowledge, IMO, is empiricism. Basically all the things that can can be tangibly measured or documented via the five senses. The tried and true.

On the other hand, my best example of imagination is Galileo's famous Thought Experiment to prove that objects of different weight always fell at the same acceleration. He used his imagination to know something definitively that he did not know before, and also prove it to others.

This can apply as well to the business world, but we don't have to limit our discussion to just that.

Please share any personal anecdotes where one of these qualities outweighed the other and helped you out

[akula]

...the definitions are a bit off 'caus knowledge is usually defined as either explicit or tacit..but overall a good point

umm..sure tacit knowledge is sometimes more important than explicit knowledge...when we were doing studentface, we had to make a sale to the board of australia's largest uni. even though we were given a criteria for how to structure the pitch, we still went through a consultant because he had a history of dealing with these people and knew the way they like to be pitched...which is a type of undefinable knowledge i guess

anyways, we closed the deal. score.

[pboychuk]

To make a long story short, I believe imagination is more important, b/c a good business imagination is something you either have or your don't. knowledge can be picked up along the way.

[ro0bear]

They are equally important. Without imagination you can’t innovate, without knowledge, you can’t function.

For instance, you could imagine a wonderful business idea, (taking an example from Ali G lol) say your idea was an ice cream glove, so when your ice cream drips, it goes on your glove so your hand doesn’t get sticky. You might think great, I will manufacture a thousand, sell them for £5 and make £5000 revenue, but that would be an unwise investment without knowledge... If you don’t know people want them, no matter how great your dream is, it’s risky to put that money forward. So you have the dream you need the knowledge the dream will be realised, so you go round with an few ice cream gloves surveying at shopping centres etc, to see if people would actually be interested in buying it.

Imagination is important but useless without knowledge. A good example of how knowledge can be more important than imagination is Duncan Bannatyne, who never invented anything, just provided services where they were needed, with tried and tested ideas such as Ice Cream, Leisure Centres, Care Homes, Nurseries etc.

ro0bear

[bostonbrian]

I can create anything that I can imagine. I can know anything that is empirical. Creation is more important than knowledge.

[ron komorowski]

GREAT and important post. I am known as a guy with extensive knowledge (in some things) and extensive abilities in creativity/imagination.

Phenominal ideas pop into people's heads and the vast majority go nowhere because of lack of knowledge to run them. I never went to college and I get stuck all the time with my comings short and I have to rely on a ride through from others. I wish and I seek more knowledge. I am known more for creative.

The person with knowledge can easily develop the creative side by being around the action but probably won't ever be as good as the natural creative thinker.

This question may be irrelevant though. No person can do it all and we must all rely on others to learn and help us. If you are creative you can always hire executives to design and execute the company projected paths. A company is a compilation of many different good key people.

The executives can always recruit the creative people for R&D/product development.

Who is worth more? Generally the executive. You need to bring something to the table, one or the other or a combination.

I never believed anybody was more important than anyone else, just luckier maybe. This is my opinion.

Ron
Inventor of Handi-Straps

[thumpsky]

bizzump

10 characters

[Scar Tissue]

Imagination is very much grounded in the individual's knowledge, without knowledge we cannot draw from our memory to find unique and interesting ideas to create new perspectives.

[Sportsfan12]

I think Imagination is the best gift from God besides life itself.

For example, I can't fly, but my imagination can give me wings!!

--Reginald

[Scar Tissue]

And of course we heard of this : “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein

[Encrypted]

I selected knowledge. There is a fine line between having good ideas and having the ability to go through with them. Your ideas are nothing without the knowledge to make something of them.

[DerekS]

Although imagination is essential to true breakthroughs, I'm going to have to go with knowledge. Especially in the sense of empiricism and science. The thought experiments and theories are awesome, but it's the observational evidence that removes that stuff from theoretical category and places it in the generally accepted category.

[khushi]

I think knowledge is best then imagination.

Thanks

[JayZSoho]

Creativity encompasses the infinite number of ideas created in ones mind. The aspiring musician hears music, the aspiring investor wants to be rich. But anyone with a dream could think their days away imagining what it would be like to arrive at that juncture.

Knowledge carries creative ideas to fruition. The guitarist with a few years of training and practice will be able to play the compositions he/she hears in their mind. The investor with an understanding of how balance sheets and income statements (etc.) work will be in a much better position to discover and take advantage of buying a stock at a discounted price.

Creativity and knowledge alone will lead to a dead end. But once combined, knowledge will allow an individual to take their creative ideas and translate them into a concrete reality.

[Encrypted]

Creativity encompasses the infinite number of ideas created in ones mind. The aspiring musician hears music, the aspiring investor wants to be rich. But anyone with a dream could think their days away imagining what it would be like to arrive at that juncture.

Knowledge carries creative ideas to fruition. The guitarist with a few years of training and practice will be able to play the compositions he/she hears in their mind. The investor with an understanding of how balance sheets and income statements (etc.) work will be in a much better position to discover and take advantage of buying a stock at a discounted price.

Creativity and knowledge alone will lead to a dead end. But once combined, knowledge will allow an individual to take their creative ideas and translate them into a concrete reality.

Couldn't have said it better myself.