Elements for a Theory of the Levels and Relations of Computational Images

Abstract

From the standpoint of cultural, communication, and media studies, the concept of "image" is problematic, not least because of the difficulty in reaching a consensus on what it actually entails. In a context where computational images are becoming increasingly ubiquitous – making it imperative to develop theoretical tools to engage with them – this text proposes an approach to studying computational imagery based on the notion of “levels” or “orders” of existence, as developed by thinkers such as Yuk Hui and Luciano Floridi in the contexts of the philosophy of technology and information, respectively. In addition to offering a theoretical framing of the concept of image and discussing the various forms that level-based analysis has taken, the text outlines, through three examples of computational imagery, how the proposed theoretical framework can be applied to this type of object.