The Viewer's Place in Theories of Vision

Analyses of vision have tended to focus on what may be under observation rather than considering the larger configuration including observer and observed. It i s , however, possible to think systematically about the "missing l ink" of observer/observed relationships. The paper aims to c lar i fy the logic associated with these relat ionships. At least three main types of observer/ observed relationship are interesting: when viewpoint is general, when viewpoint is representat ive, and when viewpoint is privi leged. It is shown that knowledge about such relationships can support interesting conclusions though the exact forms of these conclusions w i l l reflect other empirical and a pr ior i knowledge. The various viewpoint analyses may be regarded as aspects of a single issue when and how an observer may legitimately assume that properties of stimulation are simply and direct ly indicative of features of the world. Also, expressing observer/observed relationships calls for appropriate ways of classifying observables: so understanding observer/observed relationships feeds back into understanding what may be observed.