And on that note,

The famous pipe. How people reproached me for it! And yet, could you stuff my pipe? No, it's just a representation, is it not? So if I had written on my picture "This is a pipe," I'd have been lying!- Rene Magritte

The painting is not a pipe, but rather an image of a pipe, which was Magritte's point. Reminds me of Kant's metaphysical theory of phenomenon- how the phenomenal world is constructed by our minds. and -ness. What we perceive by way of our senses (it is all we know about the world) - how real is it?

mangled thoughts :( again.