Lookupon

Lookupon is a neologism used in philosophy, cultural studies, and related disciplines to denote the act or stance of looking at a subject with a particular intentionality. In its most common usage, lookupon refers to a deliberate mode of perception that combines attention with evaluative or relational framing, such as moral consideration, epistemic scrutiny, or empathetic regard. Grammatically, lookupon can function as a noun (the lookupon of a scene) or as a verb (to lookupon someone or something).

Origins and usage have varied since the term began appearing in English-language discourse in the early 21st century. It arose in online essays, speculative critiques, and marginal academic writings, where authors sought to distinguish a patterned way of looking from ordinary perception. Because there is no widely accepted formal definition, how lookupon is applied tends to differ across disciplines and authors.

Applications of lookupon appear in several domains. In ethics, the term is used to describe how observers frame moral assessment when they look upon others’ actions. In aesthetics and art criticism, it can denote a critical gaze that takes into account social and historical context. In anthropology and sociology, lookupon is deployed to articulate reflexive observation that acknowledges power relations and observer influence during fieldwork.

Criticism of the concept centers on its vagueness and overlap with established terms such as gaze, behold, attention, and interpretation. Proponents argue that lookupon helps spotlight the intentional stance behind perception, while critics caution that without a clear definition the term risks conflation with existing ideas.

See also: gaze, look, behold, attentional stance, reflexivity, phenomenology.