Alexander of Aphrodisias on Mental Representation
Hangai, A. (2025). Alexander of aphrodisias on mental representation. Rhizomata, 13(2), 183–223. doi:10.1515/rhiz-2025-0007
Abstract
Alexander took phantasia as a capacity separate from perception by appealing to differences in their defining objects. While the object of perception is external, that of phantasia is internal: a residue of perceptual activity. What is it in virtue of which the residue represents its content? I argue for a causal account: a residue represents in virtue of preserving fully some content that originates in perception with which it has causal continuity , sometimes involving internal causal mechanisms ( impressing further and picturing ) that modify the residue. I suggest that this account can serve as a foundation for explaining representation.
Authors
- Attila Hangai1
What This Study Is About
This study explores how an ancient philosopher named Alexander of Aphrodisias (who lived about 1,800 years ago!) explained mental imagery—the ability to picture things in your mind. The researcher wanted to understand Alexander’s theory on how our brains create these internal "pictures" even when we aren't looking at the real object.
How They Studied It
Unlike most modern science, this wasn't a lab experiment with heart monitors or brain scans. Instead, the researcher performed a "philosophical reconstruction." They carefully analyzed ancient Greek texts written by Alexander and his teacher, Aristotle. By comparing these difficult documents, the researcher pieced together a step-by-step "map" of how Alexander believed the mind stores and re-creates images.
What They Found
The study discovered that Alexander had a very "physical" view of the mind. He believed:
- The Footprint Effect: When you see something, it leaves a physical "residue" in your senses, like a footprint left in the sand.
- Presence in Absence: Even after the object is gone, that "footprint" (residue) stays behind. This is what allows most people to "see" a sunset or a friend's face in their mind later on.
- The "Filling in" Process: Alexander explained that our minds can "fill in the holes" of a blurry memory or even combine different residues to create dreams or imaginary creatures (like a centaur).
What This Might Mean
For those with aphantasia—the inability to voluntarily create mental images—this research is fascinating because it shows that humans have been trying to solve the mystery of the "mind's eye" for nearly two millennia.
Alexander’s theory suggests that mental imagery is a physical process of preserving "leftover" information from our senses. If he were alive today, he might suggest that aphantasia happens because those "footprints" aren't being stored correctly or the "filling in" process works differently. However, because this is a study of ancient philosophy and not modern biology, it "suggests" a framework rather than "proving" a medical cause.
One Interesting Detail
Alexander used a beautiful word for the way our minds complete a blurry memory: *anazōgraphēsis*. It literally means "painting a picture to fill in the gaps." He believed our minds act like artists, constantly touching up the fading "footprints" of our past experiences!
This summary was generated by AI and may contain errors. Always refer to the original paper for accuracy.