Self-Portrait by Ernst Mach (1886)
Ernst Mach, the physicist behind the Mach number, created a unique "self-portrait" in 1886, famously depicting his field of vision from his left eye. This unusual drawing, accompanied by his insightful prose, served to illustrate his philosophical concepts of self-perception and sensation. It's a fascinating blend of science, philosophy, and visual art, offering a historical glimpse into how a brilliant mind conceptualized subjective experience.
The Lowdown
Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach, renowned for his contributions to physics such as the Mach number and the study of shock waves, also delved into the nature of perception. In 1886, he published a peculiar 'self-portrait' in his work The Analysis of Sensations, illustrating his ideas on how one perceives their own body.
- The 'self-portrait' is depicted as a 'view from the left eye,' showing a part of his body—framed by his eyebrow, nose, and moustache—but notably 'without a head.'
- Mach explains that his body differs from others in that it's only seen piecemeal, and its motor ideas are immediately expressed, triggering more striking changes when touched.
- He argues that observing a connection between elements within one's field of vision (e.g., something 'passing through his skin') moves from physics into physiology or psychology.
- The inspiration for this drawing came around 1870 from an amusing chance encounter with a Mr. L., who challenged him with a philosophical problem: 'To carry out the self-inspection of the Ego.' Mach created the drawing humorously to show how this could 'really be carried out.'
- 'Mr. L' is identified as Prof. Hermann von Leonhardi, a colleague at Prague University, and son-in-law of C. F. Krause, whose philosophical writings were the subject of their discussion.
- The original 1870 sketch differed, notably featuring a left arm holding a cigarette (rather than a right arm with a pencil) and a cup of Viennese coffee.
Mach's 'self-portrait' is more than just a drawing; it's a profound visual metaphor for his empirical approach to understanding consciousness, emphasizing that our subjective experience of self is fundamentally fragmented and sensory-driven.