Know the Philosophers

1. Victor
Burgin

2. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• EXPLAINS THIS IN WRITING ABOUT THE ACT OF LOOKING AT A PHOTOGRAPH OF A SET OF STONES: ‘IF I GO ON TO
REMARK THAT THE PHOTOGRAPH DEPICTS A TEMPLE, THAT THE TEMPLE IS RUINED, AND THAT IT IS GREEK, THEN I
AM RELYING UPON KNOWLEDGE THAT IS NO LONGER “NATURAL”,“PURELY VISUAL”; I AM RELYING UPON
KNOWLEDGE THAT IS CULTURAL, VERBALLY TRANSMITTED AND, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, IDEOLOGICAL’ (BURGIN
1999: 45). WE ARE NOT JUST LIVING CREATURES WHO NOTICE WHAT IS AROUND US, BUT SUBJECTS—INDIVIDUALS
IN SOCIETY—WHO LEARN TO SEE IN PARTICULAR WAYS, AND FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES.
• Highlighting the complex nature of visual perception and interpretation. One key contribution lies in his exploration of
how our observations of images extend beyond the immediate visual experience. Burgin argues that our
interpretations involve cultural, verbal, and ideological knowledge, challenging the notion of a "purely visual"
understanding.
• His contributions shed light on the intricate relationship between visual experience, cultural context, and the learned
nature of perception, enriching our comprehension of the seeing subject in a broader social and ideological context.
• Burgin's work underscores the importance of understanding the subjectivity inherent in visual perception,
acknowledging that individuals bring their own biases, beliefs, and cultural frameworks to their encounters with
images. By examining the dynamic interplay between the viewer and the viewed, Burgin sheds light on the complex
processes through which meaning is created and negotiated in visual culture.
• Overall, Burgin’s work has been influential in expanding our understanding of visual culture and the complexities of
human perception.

3. William
James

4. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Throughout his life, James explored various philosophical and psychological ideas,
including free will, determinism, and the nature of consciousness. He was a founding
member of the American Society for Psychical Research and had a keen interest in
paranormal phenomena.
• The Stream of Consciousness and the Self
-an individual doesn't just set goals or think about things in a linear sequence, but their
thoughts and feelings continually change and evolve over time. Thoughts may shift from one
topic to another without clear structure or organization, much like the flow of water. He used
examples like optical illusions to show how our perceptions can be influenced by factors like
context, expectations, and personal biases.
• Sensation, Perception, Imagination and Belief
-He emphasized the importance of understanding subjective experience and
how it shapes our understanding of reality.

5. Sigmund
Freud

6. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Psychoanalysis, a method for treating mental illness and a theory explaining human
behavior.
• "Scopophilia" - I am what I desire; and I desire what I gaze upon (1905)
- a term that means the pleasure in looking at something or someone, especially in a sexual or
aesthetic way. It is derived from the Greek words "skopeo" (to look to, to examine) and "philia"
(love or attraction).
- Freud's psychoanalytic approach to scopophilia influenced many later thinkers and artists,
such as Jacques Lacan, and Laura Mulvey. It is one of the foundations of psychoanalytic theory
and aesthetics.
- Freud's theories also inspired various forms of literature, cinema, and visual art.

7. Jacques
Lacan

8. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
– In Lacanian theory, the "seeing subject" refers to the individual who perceives and experiences the world around
them. It is the subject who looks, observes, and interprets their surroundings. Lacan emphasizes that the seeing subject
is not simply a passive observer but an active participant who constructs their reality through their gaze. The concept
of the seeing subject is closely related to Lacan's ideas on the gaze and the role of perception in shaping subjective
experience.
1. The Mirror Stage - This "seeing" of oneself as an object initiates the process of self-formation. The infant begins to
identify with the image, shaping its sense of self-awareness and identity. Lacan believed this process was crucial for
developing a stable sense of identity.
2. The Gaze - represents the desire of another to see and be seen, an external force shaping our self-perception.
3. The Real, Imaginary and Symbolic - the imaginary, self-representation and desire for recognition while the
encompasses language, social order and cultural codes. (Real - the ungraspable, raw experience beyond language;
Imaginary - denotes the realm of images and illusions that construct the ego; Symbolic - encompasses language and
cultural systems that mediate social reality.

9. Claude
Levi-
Strauss

10. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Structuralism has been defined as "the search for the underlying patterns of thought in all forms of human
activity." For instance, in order to understand a single leaf you must also study the tree where that specific
leaf came from. It only denotes that we cannot understand a concept if we just look at the surface area of
the word or concept but one must examine the bigger underlying structures of it.
• Symbolic Representations - It explores how visual symbols are encoded with meaning and how they are
interpreted by members of a society, highlighting the role of subjectivity in the construction of cultural
narratives.
• Binary Oppositions and Perception - These oppositions structure not only thought and communication
but also perception itself, shaping how individuals interpret visual stimuli and make sense of their
surroundings.
• Cultural Relativism - The idea that cultures should be understood on their own terms rather than through
the lens of Western norms, underscores the importance of considering the subjective perspectives of
individuals within different cultural contexts.
• Interdisciplinary Influence - It can lead to the integration of insights from multiple disciplines, enriching
the understanding of phenomena that may be studied from different angles.

11. Stuart
Hall

12. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• THEORY OF ENCODING AND DECODING
- The encoding/decoding model of communication was first developed by cultural studies scholar
Stuart Hall in 1973. Stuart Hall titled the study 'Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse.' Hall's
essay offers a theoretical approach of how media messages are produced, disseminated, and interpreted.
The encoding of a message is the production of the message. It is a system of coded meanings, and in
order to create that, the sender needs to understand how the word is comprehensible to the members of
the audience.
The decoding of a message is how an audience member is able to understand, and interpret the
message. It is a process of interpretation and translation of coded information into a comprehensible form.
The audience is trying to reconstruct the idea by giving meanings to symbols and by interpreting messages
as a whole.
• How Culture Shapes Perception - "Imagine looking at a picture. What you see might be different from
what someone else sees."
• Representation & Power - the concept that power shapes our perception, influencing the images and
narratives we encounter in media.

13. Henry
Lefebvre

14. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Pioneering the critique of everyday life through visual culture as data. Ex.: The
interior design of a house or a building. Brand Logo.
• Introducing the concepts of the right to the city - highlighted the importance
of the urban environment in shaping individual perceptions and experiences.
• Production of social space (Perceived, Conceived and Lived) - he emphasizes
that space is not just a physical entity but is actively produced and
reproduced through social interactions. Explored how social relations, cultural
practices, and historical processes shape the way individuals perceive and
interact with their environment.
• Work on dialectics, alienation, and criticism of Stalinism, Existentialism and
Structuralism.

15. Fredric
Jameson

16. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Renowned for his analysis of modernity, postmodernity and late capitalism.
• Concept of "cognitive mapping" explores how cultural texts shape our
understanding of society.
• He advocates for a revitalized Marxist politics and envisions alternatives to
capitalist hegemony.
• Overall, his contributions have profoundly influenced our understanding of
culture, politics, and contemporary life.

17. Jean
Baudrillar
d

18. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• The concept of "hyperreality" is a concept in semiotics and postmodernism that refers to the inability of
consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, particularly in technologically advanced
postmodern societies. Ex.: Consumer and electronic images have become more real (hyperreal) than
physical reality.
• Simulacra and Simulation, defining hyperreality as "the generation by models of a real without origin or
reality." Ex.: Simulations of reality have displaced their originals, leaving only "the desert of the real." -
His phrase "the desert of the real" was famously quoted in the science-fiction film "The Matrix".
• Media and technology significantly influence our perception of reality, shaping our understanding of the
world through news outlets, social platforms, and entertainment channels. However, they can also skew
our perceptions due to biased or manipulated information.
• Technology, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, has revolutionized our interactions with the
world, altering our perception of reality. It's crucial to be mindful of the information we consume and the
technology we use to maintain a balanced and accurate perception of reality.

19. Paul
Virilio

20. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Virilio's philosophical contributions are characterized by his unique insights into the
relationship between speed, technology, and society. He introduced the concept of
dromology, the study of speed and its impact on human behavior and perception.
• Explores how visual experience influences understanding and perceptions.
• DECODING TEXTS - Emphasizes the need to decode texts for understanding.
• TRUTH EFFECT IN VISUAL EXPERIENCES - Argues that perceiving reality through visuals
impacts our worldview.
• INTERPLAY OF VISION TECHNOLOGY - Prompts reconsideration of reality and perception in a
rapidly changing world.
• CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON VISUAL PERCEPTION - Cultivating awareness leads to a deeper
understanding of individual and collective perspectives.
• ANALYZING VISUAL CULTURE AS COMMUNICATION - In a visually saturated society, images
and symbols convey crucial messages, ideas, and ideologies.
• NAVIGATING CONTEMPORARY MEDIA LANDSCAPE - Empowers individuals to interpret visual
messages effectively in today’s media landscape.

21. Bates
Lowry

22. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
 Notes that our ability to see is similar to our ability to speak: ‘We are not born with a
knowledge of how to see, any more than we are born with a knowledge of how to speak
English. We are born only with the ability to learn how’ (1967: 13).
 Bates Lowry's contributions spanned various aspects of art history, museum leadership,
education, and cultural preservation. His work had a lasting impact on the institutions he was
involved with and on the fields of art history and cultural heritage preservation.

23. W.J.T
Mitchell

24. POINTERS ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SEEING SUBJECT:
• Extends this sense of the complexity of seeing, by drawing a distinction between reading
(‘decipherment, decoding, interpretation’) and spectatorship, or ‘just looking’ (Mitchell 1994: 16). (what
we see is not what we get)
• The contributions of Mitchell on philosophy of image are manifested on his concepts: pictorial turn, the
distinction of image and picture, mixed media, meta-picture, and bio-picture.
• He has long argued that there has been a visual turn, or what he calls a “pictorial turn,” in contemporary
culture and theory in which images, pictures and the realm of the visual have been recognized as being
as important and worthy of intense scrutiny as the realm of language. While the “linguistic turn” (Rorty)
in the 1960s called attention to the role of language in culture, theory, and everyday life, the notion of a
“pictorial turn” signals the importance of pictures and images, and challenges us to be observant and
informed critics of visual culture.
• In What Do Pictures Want?, Mitchell combines a dazzling array of theoretical discourses to develop
analyses, interpretations and provocations that enable us to better understand the modalities and
power of visual culture.