A Relaxed Discussion of Theoretical Tensions in Visual Perception

Originally published in Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 2003, Vol 48(3), 387–390. Review of book: “Looking at looking: An introduction to the intelligence of vision,” edited by Theodore E. Parks (see record 2000-00796-000). How human vision provides meaningful experience of the world is one of psychology's enduring puzzles. This volume offers three perspectives on that problem, from respected representatives: I. Rock, J. Kennedy, and R. Gregory. Those are followed by responses from discussants U. Neisser, R. Day, and T. Parks. Finally, Irvin, Kennedy, and Gregory close with brief amplifications of their original remarks. According to the reviewer, the blunt fact that no firm conclusion is attained in this book is itself a useful lesson for readers: Psychology has a long way to go yet before it can offer broadly consensual explanations of central phenomena in human behavior. Visual perception, with a history that harks back at least to the early Greeks, is a cogent example of how difficult it can be to explain everyday experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)