--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seeing is more than a physiological…" description: "\"Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see not only with our eyes but with all that we are and all that our culture is. The artist is a p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png" --- # Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see… ![“Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see not only with our eyes but with all that we are and all that our culture is. The artist is a professional see-er.” quote by Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png) > “Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see not only with our eyes but with all that we are and all that our culture is. The artist is a professional see-er.” [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vision extends beyond sight, encompassing perception shaped by identity and cultural context. **In simple terms:** Seeing includes mind and culture. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness beyond the eyes. Themes perception culture art identity Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative work - education - cross‑cultural communication - personal reflection Key Concepts Phenomenology social constructivism Questions to Reflect On - How does your background shape what you notice? - In what ways can you broaden your perceptual lens? A Different Perspective Vision is still limited by personal biases and sensory constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I realize I have strength as an artist and professional by embracing my difference instead of what makes me the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-realize-i-have-strength-as-an-artist-and-professional-by-embracing/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [Life has to be described in pure and simple physical and physiological terms. It must be demystified and depsychologised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/life-has-to-be-described-in-pure-and-simple-physical-and/) [U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/) > [When the human body is put under exceptional strain, a range of dormant genes in the DNA are expressed and extraordinary physiological processes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/when-the-human-body-is-put-under-exceptional-strain-a-range-of/) K. Anders Ericsson > [Beauty is a physiological reaction. Beauty is not an object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schjeldahl/beauty-is-a-physiological-reaction-beauty-is-not-an-object/) [Peter Schjeldahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schjeldahl/) > [A good deal of our politics is physiological.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-good-deal-of-our-politics-is-physiological/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Physiological psychology is, therefore, first of all psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-wundt/physiological-psychology-is-therefore-first-of-all-psychology/) [Wilhelm Wundt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-wundt/) > [The living cell almost always contains, locked in its interior, the visible or invisible products of its physiological activity or its nourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-kossel/the-living-cell-almost-always-contains-locked-in-its-interior-the/) Albrecht Kossel > [We are intelligent atoms. We are intelligent organic structures. We can change who we are. We can heal ourselves. With genetic engineering, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-are-intelligent-atoms-we-are-intelligent-organic-structures-we-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Physiology, in its analysis of the physiological functions of the sense organs, must use the results of subjective observation of sensations; and psychology, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-wundt/physiology-in-its-analysis-of-the-physiological-functions-of-the/) [Wilhelm Wundt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-wundt/) > [Nine-tenths of the appeal of pornography is due to the indecent feelings concerning sex which moralists inculcate in the young; the other tenth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/nine-tenths-of-the-appeal-of-pornography-is-due-to-the-indecent/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The patterns of activity of neurons in sensory areas can be altered by patterns of attention. Experience coupled with attention leads to physical changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-merzenich/the-patterns-of-activity-of-neurons-in-sensory-areas-can-be-altered/) [Michael Merzenich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-merzenich/) > [The powers, aspirations, and mission of man are such as to raise the study of his origin and nature, inevitably and by the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-owen/the-powers-aspirations-and-mission-of-man-are-such-as-to-raise-the/) [Richard Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-owen/) > [Perhaps the most significant thing a person can know about himself is to understand his own system of values. Almost every thing we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/perhaps-the-most-significant-thing-a-person-can-know-about-himself-is/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [This substance, which is manifold in its forms and protean in its transformations, has, in its state of living matter, one physiological name which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/this-substance-which-is-manifold-in-its-forms-and-protean-in-its/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [My task was to show the psychologists that it is possible to apply physiological knowledge to the phenomena of psychical life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-sechenov/my-task-was-to-show-the-psychologists-that-it-is-possible-to-apply/) Ivan Sechenov ## More by Dorothea Lange > [Bring the viewer to your side, include him in your thought. He is not a bystander. You have the power to increase his perceptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/bring-the-viewer-to-your-side-include-him-in-your-thought-he-is-not-a/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [The good photograph is not the object, the consequences of the photograph are the objects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/the-good-photograph-is-not-the-object-the-consequences-of-the/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/one-should-really-use-the-camera-as-though-tomorrow-you-d-be-stricken/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [I believe that what we call beautiful is generally a by-product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/i-believe-that-what-we-call-beautiful-is-generally-a-by-product/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [That frame of mind that you need to make fine pictures of a very wonderful subject, you cannot do it by not being lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/that-frame-of-mind-that-you-need-to-make-fine-pictures-of-a-very/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [You go into a room and you know where you're welcome; you know where you're unwelcome.Sometimes in a hostile situation you stick around because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/you-go-into-a-room-and-you-know-where-you-re-welcome-you-know-where/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [No country has ever closely scrutinized itself visually ... I know what we could make of it if people only thought we could dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/no-country-has-ever-closely-scrutinized-itself-visually-i-know-what/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [Photography today appears to be in a state of flight... The familiar is made strange, the unfamiliar grotesque. The amateur forces his Sundays into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/photography-today-appears-to-be-in-a-state-of-flight-the-familiar-is/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [I realize more and more what it takes to be a really good photographer. You go in over your head, not just up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/i-realize-more-and-more-what-it-takes-to-be-a-really-good/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [You know there are moments such as these when time stands still and all you do is hold your breath and hope it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/you-know-there-are-moments-such-as-these-when-time-stands-still-and/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [To me, beauty appears when one feels deeply, and art is an act of total attention,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/to-me-beauty-appears-when-one-feels-deeply-and-art-is-an-act-of-total/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/the-camera-is-an-instrument-that-teaches-people-how-to-see-without-a/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [I trust my instincts. I don't distrust them. They haven't led me astray. It's when I've made up my mind to be efficient that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/i-trust-my-instincts-i-don-t-distrust-them-they-haven-t-led-me-astray/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion... the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/pick-a-theme-and-work-it-to-exhaustion-the-subject-must-be-something/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/a-camera-is-a-tool-for-learning-how-to-see-without-a-camera/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) [Explore all 48 Dorothea Lange quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see not only with our eyes but with all that we are and all that our culture is. The artist is a professional see-er.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothea Lange" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phenomenon-we-see-not-only-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phenomenon-we-see-not-only-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/dorothea-lange-13986_art_seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phen_1001835.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Seeing is more than a physiological phenomenon... We see not only with our eyes but with all that we are and…” — Dorothea Lange", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dorothea Lange", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Seeing is more than a physiological...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phenomenon-we-see-not-only-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/seeing-is-more-than-a-physiological-phenomenon-we-see-not-only-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```