This lecture presents a new definition of design that is based on what I name “visualism”. Visualism opposes the traditional rationalist philosophy and aesthetics of design, and instead embraces the visual turn. The argument presented focuses on the phenomenon of aesthetic emergence, which is an engagement with a design object in a creative way that is not intended by the designer and is not guided by the “proper” function, but rather based on the visual affordance of the object. These emergent engagements with design objects can be stronger than their intended functions.  

Rationalist definitions, that dominate the discourse, view design as an instrument of reason, with the designer's intent to create a stable function.  By contrast, visualist definitions see design as originating from the object itself, with its form and appearance inviting various uses and resulting in post-production emergent properties The paper argues that these encounters are innate to our essence and ontology as visual beings, and shed light on the general rationalist crisis of philosophy. Therefore, Visualism suggests a shift in terminology from "intention" and "function" to "affordance", "visuality", and "emergence". 

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