Question

Consider this quote from The Zen of Seeing by Frederick Frank. "The purpose of looking is to survive, to cope, to manipulate… this we are trained from our first day. When, on the other hand, I SEE, suddenly I am all eyes, I forget this ME, am liberated from it and dive into the reality that confronts me." What do you think Frank means?

Answer 1

Frank is differentiating the acts of "looking" and "seeing". He seems to be saying that "looking" is an innate and utilitarian capacity, one which is used by almost everyone merely for the sake of survival. "Seeing", on the other hand, is the art of gaining a better understanding what you are observing, which Frank believes is liberating.