Q&A: Visual Recognition
Originally published:
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Visual Recognition
Question
Hello,
Recently I was thinking that what is written in the Talmud about "visual recognition" regarding a found object is identical to the grasp of the thing itself that the Rabbi wrote about. That is, there are identifying marks of an object, and there is visual recognition—these are two different channels. The first deals with approximation to the thing; it is only a sign. The second grasps the thing as such.
Does the Rabbi agree?
Answer
I do not think so. Visual recognition is noticing identifying marks that you do not know how to describe or conceptualize, but they are still external marks. I do not see a reason to say otherwise.