The concept of multiple individuals looking out of the same window, but perceiving different things, refers to notions related to subjective perception, perspective, and individual conditioning. Several references and theories in psychology, philosophy, and literature explore this idea.
1. Psychological theories:
Theory of Subjective Perception:
• Human perception is influenced by internal factors (emotions, experiences, beliefs) and external factors (environment, context). What is seen is interpreted differently by each person.
• Example : The work of constructivism in psychology, notably that of Jean Piaget , emphasizes that each individual constructs their reality based on their development and experiences.
Gestalt theory:
• This theory explores how individuals perceive visual sets or situations. According to Gestalt, the same image can generate varied interpretations depending on the attention paid to certain elements.
2. Philosophy and spirituality:
Soren Kierkegaard:
• “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
Kierkegaard suggests that each individual sees and interprets life through his or her own subjectivity, which can be applied to the image of the window.
Buddhism:
• The concept of “avidyā” (ignorance) in Buddhism states that everyone perceives reality through a veil of conditioning and illusion, making each individual's perception unique.
Plato and the cave:
• In the allegory of the cave , the prisoners see shadows on a wall, but their interpretation of what they see is limited by their conditioning. This illustrates the idea that everyone “looks” but sees differently depending on their level of consciousness or knowledge.
3. Literature and art:
Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway):
• Woolf explores the characters' inner perceptions, showing how the same external scene (for example, an airplane in the sky) is interpreted differently by each, depending on their emotional state and thoughts.
Poetry: Emily Dickinson:
• “We see – Comparatively –” Dickinson expresses the idea that our vision is always limited by our personal position and perspective.
Painting: René Magritte:
• Magritte, with works such as “The Human Condition” , illustrates scenes where the window becomes a symbolic frame, questioning the reality perceived by each person.
4. Contemporary metaphor: Everyone sees through their own “filter”
In coaching or applied psychology, this metaphor is used to explain:
• Cognitive biases : Each individual interprets a situation based on their beliefs, experiences and expectations.
• The Johari Window : This model explores how what we see (and what others see) can be limited by our awareness or openness.
5. Visual or practical example
A simple experiment:
• Ask several people to describe what they see through the same window.
• The differences in their responses highlight their unique perspectives.
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