Depiction and Imagination

SATS 17 (1):61-80 (2016)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Depiction and imagination are intimately linked. In this article, I discuss the role imagination (as well as inference and knowledge/belief) plays in depiction, with a focus on photographic depiction. I partly embrace a broadly Waltonian view, but not always, and not always for Walton's own reasons. In Walton's view, imagination plays a crucial role in depiction. I consider the objection to his view that not all cases of depiction involve imagination – for instance, documentary photographs. From this discussion, two points will emerge: first, we will see that it is an unnecessary mistake to insist too heavily on the fact that photographs are produced in a mechanical way (as opposed to, say, paintings), and second, we will see that the notion of "imagining-seeing", as it is articulated by Walton, is perhaps too strong and does not entirely do justice to the external character of the role imagination plays here. Focusing mainly on photographs, I then illustrate the view I want to advocate by a series of different cases, where the nature of the role that imagination, knowledge/belief, and inference play in depiction will become apparent.

Links

PhilArchive

External links

  • This entry has no external links. Add one.
Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Taking twofoldness seriously: Walton on imagination and depiction.Bence Nanay - 2004 - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 62 (3):285–289.
Defiction?Alberto Voltolini - 2013 - In C. Barbero, M. Ferraris & A. Voltolini (eds.), From Fictionalism to Realism. Cambridge Scholars Press.
Depiction, perception, and imagination: Responses to Richard Wollheim.Kendall Walton - 2002 - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 60 (1):27–35.
Talbot's Technologies: Photographic Depiction, Detection, and Reproduction.Patrick Maynard - 1989 - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 47 (3):263-276.
Memesis As Make-Believe.Kendall Walton - 1990 - Harvard University Press.
Fictionality and Photography.Richard Woodward - 2016 - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 74 (3):279-289.
Photographic Representation and Depiction of Temporal Extension.Jiri Benovsky - 2012 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 55 (2):194-213.
Image, Time, Possibility: Husserl's Theory of Imagination.Patrick F. Murphy - 1991 - Dissertation, State University of New York at Buffalo
Explaining depiction.Robert Hopkins - 1995 - Philosophical Review 104 (3):425-455.
Art and Imagination.Nick Wiltsher & Aaron Meskin - 2016 - In Amy Kind (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Imagination. New York: Routledge. pp. 179–191.
Immaginazione, attenzione e raffigurazione.Cain Todd - 2013 - Rivista di Estetica 53:89-108.
Understanding Resemblance in Depiction: What Can we Learn from Wittgenstein?Elisa Caldarola - 2013 - Aisthesis: Pratiche, Linguaggi E Saperi Dell’Estetico 6 (1):239-253.
Depiction.John Hyman - 2012 - Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement 71:129-150.

Analytics

Added to PP
2016-02-03

Downloads
561 (#29,029)

6 months
109 (#30,266)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Jiri Benovsky
University of Fribourg