Here's a breakdown of how Sayre might describe the process of seeing:
1. Sensation: This is the initial raw data received by our senses, such as light hitting our eyes or sound waves reaching our ears. In this stage, we are simply registering the physical stimulus without necessarily understanding its meaning.
2. Interpretation: This is where we use our prior knowledge and experience to make sense of the sensations we receive. We begin to categorize and label what we see, recognizing patterns and assigning meaning to the stimuli. This is an active process that is constantly shaping our understanding of the world.
3. Judgment: This is the final stage of perception where we evaluate what we see based on our values and beliefs. We might judge something as beautiful, ugly, good, bad, or anything in between. This stage is highly subjective and influenced by our individual experiences, culture, and personal preferences.
Sayre's emphasis on judgment as part of the seeing process highlights how our perceptions are not simply passive recordings of the world. Instead, we actively shape and interpret what we see based on our own unique perspectives and experiences.
It's important to remember that Sayre's work is complex and nuanced, and this is just a simplified explanation of his ideas. If you want to explore his work in more depth, I encourage you to read his writings on aesthetics and perception.