Unlikely Collaborators Hosts Experts to Debate the Science of Imagination

The event, titled Is Imagination Real?, features psychologist Cassandra Vieten, neuroscientist Jonathan Schooler, and philosopher Stephen Asma. Moderated by Unlikely Collaborators founder Elizabeth R. Koch, the discussion will challenge the boundary between creative fantasy and the cognitive structures that define our decision-making, relationships, and self-perception.

Drawing on the organization’s Perception Box framework, the panel will examine how individuals often become trapped by rigid mental models. By integrating insights from mindfulness, consciousness research, and psychology, the speakers aim to demonstrate how imagination functions as a dual-edged tool: it can foster innovation and empathy, or reinforce limiting beliefs and past trauma. The session takes place at the group’s Santa Monica headquarters and will be available via livestream, offering attendees a look at how awareness of these mental filters can facilitate personal change.