M.G.F. Martin

M.G.F. Martin

M.G.F. Martin is Professor of Philosophy at University College London and an Adjunct Professor at the University of California Berkeley. His research interests include philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, epistemology and philosophy of language. He is currently working on a book on naïve realism in the philosophy of perception as well as topics concerning the emotions; desires and pain; the work of David Hume; and the psychology of visual cognition.

Sounds and Images
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
16:00-18:00 at Senate House 264
Sponsored by the British Society of Aesthetics

This paper concerns the following observation: i.) One can hear individual sounds reproduced through mechanical or electro-mechanical reproduction – from the use of a wax cylinder; an acetate 78; a piece of vinyl; a tape; a CD; an MP3 recording; ii.) one cannot see objects or other visible particulars through photographic reproduction. Why should there be this difference between reproduction in the auditory and visual realms? I want to suggest that what we have here is something special about both auditory perception and sight which makes room for the special features of imagery and depiction in the one case, and excludes it in the other. There is a difference here in the status of the objects of perception; specifically in a.) the nature of visual appearances in contrast to sounds; b.) the metaphysical status of sounds.

Details of Mike Martin’s publications are available here on Philpapers.org. His departmental website can be visited here.