>>2995913These two modes of mimesis comprise an anthropomorphizing distinction: humans read real traces as being false, i.e. overdetermined, in order to isolate themselves from the environment as discrete subjectivities; animals present false traces as though they were real, i.e. immediately and concretely indexical, in order to be a part of the environment (the mantis behaves such that it is mistaken for something like a leaf or twig by its prey). The formal distinction is that the former is a function of the triumph of visual semblance over objective likeness in the competition for presence, that is, for what will count as reality; the latter, vice versa, in that functional similarity triumphs over abstract affinity in the constitution of the subject's experience of reality. If you haven't already, you should look up the tale of Zeuxis and Parrhasios..
>>2995911Writing down my train of thought takes enough effort as it is. As if I'm going to spend even more time editing it into something utterly sound and coherent...