Picture, Image and Experience: A Philosophical Inquiry

by Robert Hopkins

This book is about how pictures represent. Do they, like words, depend on human conventions for their meaning, or do they instead exploit something else--perhaps by looking like what they represent? The problem is philosophical, but it has also interested psychologists and art historians. Robert Hopkins examines and criticizes the currently available answers to this question before proposing and defending one of his own, and concludes with an attempt to see what a proper understanding of picturing can tell us about that deeply mysterious phenomenon, the visual imagination.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 1998

Reviews

[Icey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the nature of pictures and their relationship to the world. Hopkins argues that pictures are not mere representations of the world, but are active participants in our experiences of the world. He explores the ways in which pictures both reveal and conceal aspects of the world, and the ways in which they can shape our perceptions and experiences.

The second part of the book focuses on the nature of images and their relationship to our experiences of the world. Hopkins argues that images are not just passive representations of reality, but are active in shaping our experiences of the world. He explores the ways in which images can evoke emotional and affective responses, and the ways in which they can influence our beliefs and attitudes.

The third and final part of the book examines the relationship between pictures, images, and experience. Hopkins argues that our experiences of the world are shaped by the way we perceive and interpret visual information. He explores the ways in which pictures and images can shape our perceptions of the world, and the ways in which our experiences of the world can shape our understanding of pictures and images.