Vanities of the Eye: Vision in Early Modern European CultureOUP Oxford, 29 mars 2007 - 415 pages Vanities of the Eye investigates the cultural history of the senses in early modern Europe, a time in which the nature and reliability of human vision was the focus of much debate. In medicine, art theory, science, religion, and philosophy, sight came to be characterised as uncertain or paradoxical - mental images no longer resembled the external world. Was seeing really believing? Stuart Clark explores the controversial debates of the time - from the fantasies and hallucinations of melancholia, to the illusions of magic, art, demonic deceptions, and witchcraft. The truth and function of religious images and the authenticity of miracles and visions were also questioned with new vigour, affecting such contemporary works as Macbeth - a play deeply concerned with the dangers of visual illusion. Clark also contends that there was a close connection between these debates and the ways in which philosophers such as Descartes and Hobbes developed new theories on the relationship between the real and virtual. Original, highly accessible, and a major contribution to our understanding of European culture, Vanities of the Eye will be of great interest to a wide range of historians and anyone interested in the true nature of seeing. |
Table des matières
Introduction | 1 |
Vision and Values | 9 |
Seeing Without What was Within | 39 |
Illusions in Magic and Art | 78 |
Demons and Virtual Worlds | 123 |
The Reformation of the Eyes | 161 |
The Discernment of Spirits | 204 |
King Saul and King Macbeth | 236 |
Philosophical Scepticism | 266 |
The Epistemology of Sleep | 300 |
Vision and the New Philosophy | 329 |
Bibliography | 365 |
| 401 | |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Vanities of the Eye: Vision in Early Modern European Culture Stuart Clark Aucun aperçu disponible - 2009 |
Vanities of the Eye: Vision in Early Modern European Culture Stuart Clark Aucun aperçu disponible - 2007 |
Expressions et termes fréquents
anamorphic anamorphosis apparitions appear argument Aristotelian Aristotle Athanasius Kircher believe body brain Canon episcopi Catholic chapter Christ cited cognition colour culture debate deceived deception delusion demonic demonology Descartes Descartes's devil divine dreams early modern effects English epistemological Essays example external eyes faculty faculty psychology false ghosts Glanvill Hakewill Hobbes human Ibid idea illusion images imagination intellectual Johann Joseph Glanvill Kircher Lavater London Loyer lycanthropy Macbeth Magia medieval melancholia melancholy mind miracles mirror Montaigne Nicéron objects optical Outlines of Pyrrhonism painting paradox Paris passim perceived perspective philosophical philosophical scepticism Pyrrhonism reality Reformation religion religious Renaissance representation Richard Tuck Río sabbat Samuel Saul scepticism Science seems seen senses sensory seventeenth century Sextus Sextus Empiricus Shakespeare sight sixteenth sleep soul species spectres spirits theory things Thomas thought Tractatus trans treatise tropes true truth visible vision visual experiences visual perception witchcraft witches