The impact of visual media on social cognitive concept: The case of cultural object Ru (Korea)

Abstract

There have been very few studies explaining the theoretical basis on the importance of visible cultural heritage. This study provides the philosophical background of this topic based on a phenomenological point of view and explains the significant impact on social members' cognition. The case of Ru, one of the tradi tional Korean building types, is introduced as a representative example; how its concept has been defined, changed, and forgotten in Korean culture. The importance of having a correct understanding of how cognition is composed of different types of experiences of cultural heritage is further explained. In this context, the importance of semantic mode and pictorial mode classified by Husserl is argued as the most powerful medium in human cognition based on phenomenological analysis. In this respect, the important role of Virtual Reality (VR) was highlighted. Considering the pace of recent technology and researches, breaking the barrier between experiencing the physical object and the VR may be a matter of time. Phenomenological classification of cultural heritage, which was designed for explaining all the types of cultural heritage, is introduced. The importance of developing a valid VR model and its role in cultural studies is emphasized via the phenomenological classification of cultural heritage. Finally, the balance of the inductive and deductive approach in a cultural study is suggested for more prolific and balanced achievements.