Concept

Darkness

Overview

Darkness is the condition resulting from a lack of illumination, or an absence of visible light.

Under low light conditions, human vision becomes monochrome, a phenomenon termed scotopic vision. The lack of color comes from inactivity of cone cells, the type of photoreceptor cell on the retina that is responsible for the perception of color, but less sensitive to light than the rod cells. Scotopic vision takes place when luminance levels drops below the sensitivity threshold of cone cells; the other two type - mesopic and photopic vision - refers to vision under intermediate and normal lighting conditions.

The emotional response to darkness has led to metaphorical usages of the term in many cultures, often to convey feelings of unhappiness or foreboding.

"Darkness" may also refer to night, which occurs when the Sun is more than 18° below the horizon.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

In the original texts

Passages from public-domain books where Darkness is discussed.

Any one may use these instances to explain the manner of seeing. CHAPTER XV. WHETHER DARKNESS CAN BE VISIBLE TO US. The Stoics say that darkness is seen by us, for out of our eyes there issues out some light into it; and our eyes do not impose upon us, for they really perceive there is darkness. Chrysippus says that we see darkness by the striking of the intermediate air; for the visual spirits which proceed from…
Plutarch, Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3
names the idea; states what it is
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And with regard to the understanding of the words following, out of all those truths, he chooses one to himself, who saith, But the earth was invisible, and without form, and darkness was upon the deep; that is, "that corporeal thing that God made, was as yet a formless matter of corporeal things, without order, without light." Another he who says, The earth was invisible and without form, and darkness was upon the…
of Hippo Augustine, The Confessions of St. Augustine
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
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If this effect takes place in the eye as here described, and may thus be pronounced to be subjective, it remains further to convince ourselves of this by objective phenomena. For a light thus mitigated and subdued illumines all objects in like manner with a yellow, yellow-red, or red hue; and, although the effect of darkness through the non-transparent medium does not exhibit itself so powerfully, yet the blue sky…
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Goethe's Theory of Colours
states what it is; names the idea; opens on it
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This is the meaning of the words, “Clouds and darkness are round about Him” (Ps. xcvii. 2). The prophets tell us that the difficulty consists in the grossness of our substance; they do not imply, as might be gathered from the literal meaning of their words, that God is corporeal, and is invisible because He is surrounded by thick clouds, vapours, darkness, or mist. This figure is also expressed in the passage, “He…
Moses Maimonides, The guide for the perplexed
names the idea; states what it is
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Therefore all that is not of God's word and faith is darkness. For here reason gropes like a blind man,--is ever changing from this to that, and knows not what it does. But if we speak in this manner to the worldly, learned, or wise, they begin to cry out and bluster against it.
Martin Luther, The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained
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Related ideas

Place in the tradition

Part of Dualism in cosmology.

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