David Katz's Phenomenology of Colour and Light
European Journal of Philosophy May 14, 2026 DOI: 10.1111/ejop.70097 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Argues that David Katz's distinctive account of the perception of illumination and empty space is central to his theory of colour, influenced Gestalt psychologists and phenomenologists such as Merleau-Ponty, and remains relevant to contemporary debates about colour perception. Proposes that reflecting on Katz's theory clarifies whether and in what sense he was a phenomenologist, offering a perspective on the nature of phenomenology more broadly. |
Abstract
David Katz was an empirical psychologist with a deep and abiding interest in phenomenology. This paper reconstructs his theory of colour and colour perception, central to which is a distinctive account of the perception of illumination and empty space. Katz's views were an important influence on both the Gestalt psychologists and phenomenologists such as Merleau‐Ponty, and have contemporary relevance to ongoing debates about the nature of colour and colour perception. Reflection on Katz's theory of colour and colour perception provides a way of understanding whether, and in what sense, Katz was a phenomenologist; it thereby provides a perspective on wider questions about the nature of phenomenology.
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