Visual Signs

Philosophy 161: Visual Representation (UCLA)
Professor Gabriel Greenberg ([email protected])
TA Mona Fazeli

Lecture:
Tues/Thurs 11am-12:15pm, Pub Aff 2270
Sections:
1A: Wed 1:00pm-1:50pm, Pub Aff 2242
1B: Wed 2:00p,-2:50pm, Pub Aff 2242
Office hours: TBA

Course policies here.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines the meaning of visual signs, through the lens of philosophy, cognitive science, and social science.
In Part I, we'll focus on the the origins of depiction in visual perception and social convention.
In Part II, we examine the relationship between pictures, truth, and knowledge.
In Part III, we'll look at the role of pictures in modern society and in the exercise of power.

REQUIREMENTS

Reading question: Every class: prepare one structured reading questions for cold call.
Structured question = pinpoint one concept from the reading, and ask a specific question about it.
Presentation: prepare an image for discussion. Deliver by email, before 10pm the day before. Sign up sheet here.
Assignment 1: Short illustrated paper (~1500 words / 5 pages).
[Old Assignment 1]
Assignment 2: Longer open media project (equivalent to ~4000 words / 12 pages).
[Old Assignment 2]

DUE DATES

Presentation sign-up sheet
Assignment 1 outline -- Due Sun. Feb. 1
Assignment 1 paper -- Due Sun. Feb 8.
Assignment 2 outline -- Due Sun. March 8
Assignment 2 paper -- Due Wed. March 18

SYLLABUS

Subject to revision! Please refresh regularly.
Readings must be completed before class on the day they are due.

PART I: VISION & CONVENTION

W1.1: Vision + Convention
1.6 - Tues

Reading:
- This syllabus and the course policies.

W1.2: Light into paint
1.8 - Thurs

Reading:
- Gibson 1960 "Pictures, perspective, and perception"'
  - Focus questions:
    - What is the primary function of pictures?
    - What is "pictorial fidelity"?
    - Do line drawings elicit "second-hand perception"?

W2.1: Beyond resemblance
1.13 - Tues

Reading:
- Goodman 1968 "Reality remade" [1-20]
  Focus questions:
  - What is wrong with the "imitation theory" of representation?
  - What is the myth of the "innocent eye"?
  - What does Goodman say about Gibson's optical theory?

W2.2: [NO CLASS]
1.15 - Thurs

W3.1: Resemblance refined
1.20 - Tues

Reading:
- Neander 1987 "Pictorial representation: a matter of resemblance"

W3.2: Seeing-in
1.22 - Thurs

Reading:
- Wollheim 1984 "Painting as an art"
  - Focus questions:
    - What is the concept of "seeing-in"?
    - What role is played by the "standard of correctness"?
    - Which is primary, representation or seeing-in?

W4.1: Projection semantics
1.27 - Tues

Reading:
- Video: Introduction to perspective projection (YouTube)
- Greenberg 2021 ”Semantics of Pictorial Space” [pdf pgs 1-23 (sections 1-4)]
  - Focus questions:
    - How does perspective projection work?
    - What’s the difference between parallel and perspective projection?
    - How is projection related to accuracy?
    - What is pictorial space?

W4.2: Non-western and indigenous art
1.29 - Thurs

Reading:
- Hagen 1986 "Station point options" [141-168]

PART II: MEANING, TRUTH, & KNOWLEDGE

W5.1: Depiction-as
2.3 - Tues

Reading:
- Goodman 1968 "Reality remade" [21-41]
- Focus questions:
  - When does a picture denote an X?
  - When is a picture an X-picture?
  - What is "realism" in depiction?

W5.2: Can pictures lie?
2.5 - Thurs

Reading:
- Noth 1995 "Can pictures lie?"

W6.1: Content and target
2.10 - Tues

Reading:
- Greenberg 2019 "Content and target in pictorial representation" [865-875 (S1), 890-895 (S4)]

W6.2: Photography and knowledge
2.12 - Thurs

Reading:
- Walton 1984 "Transparent pictures" [246-267]

Recommended:
- Cohen and Meskin 2004 "On the epistemic value of photographs"

W7.1: AI Imagery
2.17 - Tues

Reading:
- Somaini 2023 “Algorithmic Images: Artificial Intelligence and Visual Culture”
Mini-assignment:
- Using your favorite image-generator, try to recreate this image (without uploading the image itself), and paste the result to this [white board].