And on the same principle, although these general objects, viz. [a body], eyes, a head, hands, and the like, be imaginary, we are nevertheless absolutely necessitated to admit the reality at least of some other objects still more simple and universal than these, of which, just as of certain real colors, all those images of things, whether true and real, or false and fantastic, that are found in our consciousness (cogitatio), are formed." Thus, Descartes states that when we are dreaming or creating the dream world of art, we still use forms and shapes that have a physical reference in the real world, even the very colors we use on the canvas. In other words, rather than creating out of whole cloth, dreams and art both have a basis in physical reality of non-dreaming life. One cannot be completely creative either in painting or in dreams, for even paintings of...
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