# visual (perceptual)

information that is a set of marks on a surface

- Computed level: L7 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: emergence  ·  Arena: visual

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [information](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-information.knowledge), [marks](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-marks.visual), [surface](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-surface.exterior), [sets](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-sets.grouped)

**Through:** the pattern of distinct marks grouped together on a surface forms a new informational unit.

**Novel properties:**
- grouped distinctness
- surface-bound pattern
- perceptible structure

## Examples
- The Lascaux cave paintings in France remained visible for 17,000 years due to stable mineral pigments on limestone walls. *(archaeology)*
- The Gutenberg Bible, printed in 1455, preserved text through oil-based ink bonded to parchment sheets. *(printing)*
- NASA's Voyager Golden Record carries etched diagrams meant to survive interstellar space for over a billion years. *(space)*

## Used by
- [beauty](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-beauty.aesthetic) (L11)
- [black](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-black.color) (L8)
- [blue](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-blue.color) (L12)
- [color](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-color.visual) (L8)
- [display](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-display.visual) (L10)
- [film](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-film.entertainment) (L12)
- [green](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-green.color) (L9)
- [image](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-image.visual) (L8)
- [light](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-light.visual) (L8)
- [logo](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-logo.branding) (L12)
- [look](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-look.visual) (L15)
- [movies](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-movies.entertainment) (L13)
- [pics](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pics.visual) (L14)
- [pictures](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pictures.visual) (L8)
- [s](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-s.letter) (L8)
- [screen](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-screen.visual) (L18)
- [sign](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-sign.symbolic) (L11)
- [transparent](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-transparent.visual) (L8)
- [video](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-video.digital) (L10)
- [white](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-white.color) (L9)
- [yellow](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-yellow.color) (L22)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-visual.perceptual*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-visual.perceptual.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*