Why is imagination more important than knowledge? Einstein Quotes

"Imagination is more important than Knowledge - Einstein"

Imagination more important than Knowledge

This quote by Albert Einstein is one of the most misunderstood quotes. Yet a more powerful one. But there is a very simple explanation for this. We really do not have to go through deep theorems and examples to understand this and trust me I am no genius than you. So, let's get on with cracking the code to success.

We can start with Einstein's equation for success. Remember, his equation is

Success = work+ play+ keeping your mouth shut

The same thing can be given as 

Success = work + imagination/hypothesize/create + silence/mindfulness

Now it makes a lot more sense. And it appears that knowledge is not even there in Einstein's success equation. Why?

To understand, we need to look at the blooms taxonomy. 

Einstein: https://unsplash.com/@harimedia

Bloom's taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy is a hierarchical framework originally developed by Benjamin Bloom in 1956. Revised in 2001 it gives a framework to categorise complexity of academic activities from least to the most complex ones. There are six tiers.

2001 version of bloom's taxonomy

Remember

Understand 

Apply 

Analyse

Evaluate

Create.

If you would like to know more about the application of these previously I have written about how to use this in textbook reading and thinking. However here I just need to emphasise that the knowledge is just knowing the facts, which is only used in the first two low levels in bloom's taxonomy directly (remember and understand). However the imagination, which is involved in the highest form of cognitive complex tasks in evaluation and creation. So, it seems although it was discovered in 1956 and widely unpopular until recently, Einstein himself had an idea about cognitive hierarchy and why imagination is such an important part of success. Hence he included "playing with ideas" as a component which serves the function of "Evaluation and creation"

This is also obvious when we look at the older version of the bloom's taxonomy. 

Before 2001 version

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

As you can see, knowledge is just the first step. And synthesis which needs imagination is at the top. But the most important thing to remember is when we try to start to learn at the higher order level, the low level tasks would be easily achieved even effortlessly.

A paintbrush Might have more potential than science: https://unsplash.com/@harimedia

Example of imagination in action.

Consider this article. I have been previously "knowledgeable" about bloom taxonomy and Einstein's quote. However, instead of further reading on these things I started to create my blog post. While doing that I had to go back and read about bloom taxonomy again, where I learned some more things about it. Like 2001 version which replaced older one with actionable "verbs". And nobody even told me to do this and I would not struggle to memorise this information. Simply put I can write an essay on "Cognitive complexity of Adult learning" with examples from Albert Einstein backed up with Bloom's taxonomy. Do you think anyone coming after a one hour lecture on above topics can do that?

Not only that, as I was putting my imagination into it I can argue why a manual worker is paid less than a clerk or an engineer. Can you see the link? It depends on the cognitive load of the task. That usage of the imaginative power by adults is so poor that there are only few people actually making use of this. So, do not worry in the next hour when you start to create something, it's not a waste of time. It's far better to imagine than let the mind rot in its own echo chamber.

So, how are you going to use this information? I'm curious to know.

Do not tell me, I would imagine that!