On Non-Verbal Representation

How Images Actually Work: Settling a Longstanding Debate

“…The point to emphasise here, and that Brook would be keen to press home, is the fact that depiction (and simulation more generally) is fundamentally dependent upon our species-specific sensory vulnerabilities (Brook 1997). Such vulnerabilities may be shared by other similarly endowed creatures, but it is hardly surprising that our attempts to interest other intelligent creatures with depictions are commonly met with indifference.…”

“…In particular, I will draw attention to a largely overlooked international study (Segal et al 1966) which investigated cultural variations in susceptibility to optical illusions and an earlier study by Hudson (1960) that gathered significant results from individuals unused to pictorial representations. In Part 2, I aim to show how the confusion over these two differing kinds of resemblance is fully explained by Brook's distinction between practices of Matching and practices of Simulating (Brook 1992(Brook /1997). …”

“…Some things resemble one another by virtue of genuine similarities ("Matching" (Brook 1997)), whereas other resemblances depend upon the exploitability of our shared sensory frailties in certain circumstances. How else could a silver coin ever look like the full moon?…”