Note 18 - Relationship between Real and Imaginary
 
 

From one perspective, the qualitative whole recognition of the conceptual class (which potentially embraces all individual occurrences of its related phenomena) transcends quantitative part recognition.
So we recognise - for example - that individual (part) atoms have a more collective whole identity in the conceptual class notion of "atom" through transcending the "lower" part recognition.
However for this to happen the conceptual recognition must be unconsciously present when we consciously identify individual atoms. So here the individual (part) atoms are "real" and the collective (whole) atom class is "imaginary".
However in the dynamics of experience "real" and "imaginary" aspects keep switching.
Therefore to the extent that we are now consciously aware of the collective object class, we are now unconsciously aware of the individual (part) phenomena.
So the conceptual class of atom is now "real" and the individual items "imaginary".

When the unconscious is well refined and developed, the "imaginary" aspect in experience becomes progressively more spiritual.
Then "real" phenomena then to a degree serve as "imaginary" archetypes of what is ultimately spiritual.
Also experience becomes much more dynamic with a greatly increased facility for switching as between complementary aspects.

Again from one perspective, the "higher" conceptual class spiritually transcends the "lower" individual phenomena. So the concept here acts as a transcendent archetype (empty of quantitative phenomena).

However equally from the opposite perspective the "higher" concept is made spiritually immanent through recognition of the "lower" phenomena.
So in this case the "lower" phenomena serve as immanent archetypes (empty of general qualitative recognition).