A Great Debate: The Philosophy of the Image

Dear Steemians!

I'm very excited to write the first in what I hope will be a series of intellectual discussions on a variety of topics. This fantastic idea came about through a difference of opinion with another fine Steemian @gentbynature! (be sure to check out his awesome film photography posts)

Every debate needs participants. A single voice cannot provide the thrust needed to convince and reconvince readers of differing views. To participate in the debate, link my post to yours so new readers can easily follow along . Since a debate is like a continuing conversation, you can always comment below but that would strip you of your monetary entitlements. Everyone deserves to get paid for their work and I wouldn’t want to see anyone’s opinions get an unequal share of the prizes. Plus, the exposure from linking readers to previous posts will benefit all participants!

The first broad topic is the Philosophy of the Image. Discussion will be focused around:

• The ontology of the image (what’s the truth or "reality" to an image (any image), who was the original “creator” of the image),
• The epistemology of the image (how do we learn about an image, what do we learn from an image),
• The axiology of an image (what values are being promoted by the image, how does this or that image communicate across cultures etc.),
• Aesthetic (taste differences)

As well as many other philosophical opinions surrounding the art of photography.

Caveat: I’m an international relations masters student completing my thesis and I didn’t do an arts degree for undergrad so my opinions come from my own understanding of philosophy (mostly to assist my analytical skills) and my experiences behind the camera, in the darkroom, and in front of the laptop.

Let the debate begin!

Every time we snap the shutter we capture an image. The image is a perspective upon the world taken from the viewpoint of the individual taking the image. The exposure is a visualisation of the individual's worldview, or their way of perceiving what the world is in an empirical sense as well as how the world ought to look in a normative sense. These two facets intertwine to produce the image every time the shutter is snapped shut. Closing a door to the world through photography is the only time that we allow ourselves to re-experience a moment of stillness. The perfect moment is a moment worth experiencing over and over again because, as photographers, we tend to lose the original experience of a moment through the act of taking a photograph and are forced to experience it through the image after the fact.

Feel free to take this any way you wish but make sure you follow the rule above: tag the post you're responding to in your post and mention the author (a kind word or two about the author couldn't hurt) - this way everyone benefits from the additional exposure. Let's become famous together ;)

Thanks for reading :) Questions, comments, and feedback most welcome :)