Abstract

“The Gaze” as a dimension of visual perception focuses attention on the perceived rather than the perceiver, and underlines the idea that the “object” of perception must be understood relationally, and as primarily affective. This contrasts with the Cartesian-derived view based on an underlying separation of subject and object which makes it possible to adopt a “spectator” view of knowledge. This paper explores aspects of the origins and consequences of these contrasting views showing the importance of Merleau-Ponty’s Umweltian-inspired notion of embodied and enactive intentionality in reconceptualising the objectivist view of nature and of science that is dictated by the spectator view.