The Philosophy of Perception: Phenomenology and Image Theory

Lambert Wiesing's The Philosophy of Perception challenges current theories of perception. Instead of attempting to understand how a subject perceives the world, Wiesing starts by taking perception to be real. He then asks what this reality means for a subject. In his original approach, the question of how human perception is possible is displaced by questions about what perception obliges us to be and do. He argues that perception requires us to be embodied, to be visible, and to continually participate in the public and physical world we perceive. Only in looking at images, he proposes, can we achieve something like a break in participation, a temporary respite from this, one of perception’s relentless demands. Wiesing's methods chart a markedly new path in contemporary perception theory. In addition to identifying common ground among diverse philosophical positions, he identifies how his own, phenomenological approach differs from those of many other philosophers, past and present. As part of the argument, he provides a succinct but comprehensive survey of the philosophy of images His original critical exposition presents scholars of phenomenology, perception and aesthetics with a new, important understanding of the old phenomenon, the human being in the world.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Philosophical Myths and Models 2. Phenomenology: Philosophy without a Model 3. The Me of Perception 4. The Pause in Participation Index

About the Author :
Lambert Wiesing is Professor of Philosophy at Jena University, Germany. He was President of the German Society for Aesthetics between 2005 and 2008. Nancy Ann Roth is an independent writer and translator.

Review :
Lambert Wiesing not only provides an original and illuminating treatment of the core issues in the philosophy of perception he radically recasts the terms of the debate and extends the field of enquiry, including a thought-provoking discussion of the transformation brought about by the perception of images. It is a major achievement that this important book has now made been made available to English-speaking readers. With this book, Wiesing has set out an original and extremely provocative suggestion for rethinking perception- and consciousness theory from the beginning. It should be said that it is an enormously stimulating book, rich in ideas, subtle in its argumentation, and sometimes funny as well. Beyond this it is, with its confident polarisation of theses and its underlying phenomenological orientation, a daring work in the best sense. [Review of the original German edition]. We are creatures of presence; through perception we are surrounded by the given presence of ourselves and our environment. It makes no sense to doubt it. Wiesing presents the background, implications and justification of this central idea with startling clarity and impressive breadth as well as argumentative stringency; almost as an aside, the reader gets not only brilliant miniatures of the history of theory—from perception theory to image theory—but a veritable introduction to phenomenology...at a minimum, Lambert Wiesing’s book may be read as a new basic theory of the way we understand ourselves as perceiving beings. [Review of the original German edition]. [A]n interesting and ambitious contribution to the philosophy of perception in general, and to the philosophy of image-perception in particular. As well as developing a set of distinctive philosophical ideas, Wiesing presents insightful and lucid interpretations of historical philosophers and develops his own methodology by building on suggestive ideas from the philosophical tradition. Writing with wonderful clarity, Wiesing illuminates and re-orientates our understanding of perception, self and world. He also re positions the role of image-perception, and our understanding of what constitutes an image, in this context. Highly recommended. This radical rethinking of the philosophy of perception fascinates by casting old issues in a new light and giving prominence to topics - such as the perception of images - that orthodox thinking is condemned to treat as marginal. The book is bold, original, full of challenging ideas and makes a powerful case for changing our approach to this central philosophical problem. Already in its original German version, Lambert Wiesing’s The Philosophy of Perception has had an unusually deep and specific impact on contemporary philosophical discussions, both on the “analytic” and “continental” sides of the epistemological divide. In a present both desirous of a return to cognitive realism and with an awareness of its impossibility, this is the resonance of a book that, on the one side, posits “perception” as a reality, and, on the other, patiently unravels the challenging of this “reality” for the human mind. Lambert Wiesing’s The Philosophy of Perception is a revolutionary rethinking of the philosophy of perception and image perception. Employing skilful phenomenology and philosophy ‘without models’, Wiesing presents an uncompromising critique of established theories of perception and takes huge strides in a new direction. Embodiment and identity are among the topics transformed by examining the necessary a priori consequences of the reality of perception. The book contains invigorating argument and surprising developments on every page. It should be essential reading for anyone working in the philosophy of images. Wiesing provides a subtle, original, and erudite assessment of the situation in contemporary philosophy of perception, along with a bold proposal for reorienting the field. Written in an inviting style—and nicely translated—this book reaches out both to phenomenologists and those unfamiliar with what phenomenology has to offer. Wiesing cares deeply about what philosophy is and ought to be, and anyone with similar concerns will find this an engaging read. Wiesing reaches his conclusions by employing a phenomenological method that may be unfamiliar to philosophers raised in the 'analytic' tradition. This makes the book a stimulating contribution.