Image and Communication: Read McLuhan

Author: Chi-Ming Lin(Graduate School of Arts and Arts Education National Taipei Teachers College)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 47, No.1
Date：April 2002
Pages：41-56
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2002.47(1).03

Abstract：

From the general outline of the theory of the media thinker Marshall McLuhan, we try to retrieve some new ideas and interrogations for the theory of images.
Firstly, we discuss the opposition between the acoustic space and the visual space, which, after examination of its genesis and development, should not be understood as a direct translation of the characteristics of a specific sense or a sensual determinism of the world vision. It describes rather a dominating mode of cognition.
Secondly, we outline the central process of civilization underpinning the theory of McLuhan：the Preliterate Acoustic space, the Literate Visual space, Post-Literate Acoustic space, where the respective dominating mode of cognition is acoustic, visual, auditory-tactical and interplays between the senses.
We then investigate the themes like “integral mosaic vision”, “the visual literacy of the movie” and “the photographical image on the pressed matter”. The signification of “visual culture” is thus reworked in a multi-media context.
The propositions of two recent commentators of McLuhan are discussed at the end: 1. the photography as an exception among the modern technological media, 2. “How should McLuhan be read? ”.

Keywords：Marshal McLuhan the theory of the images acoustic space visual culture communication

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