MASAHIKO HIGASHI - ECOLOGIST,MASTER WEAVER AUGUST 11, 1954-MARCH 27, 2000

M.C. Escher is a graphic artist whose visual-spatial illusions scientists, and especially mathematicians eagerly study. However, there is much more than that. It seems that Escher's optical illusions have strikingly deeper theoretical, conceptual and philosophical layers not yet revealed. It is worth while using the abductive research method utilizing the possibilities of systems approach to reveal some of their mysteries. Escher's lithograph Reptiles is not only a work belonging to the theme of the illusion of space as Bruno Ernst, a close friend of Escher, states. This paper aims at proving in what ways Reptiles actually illustrates the concepts of onticity as reality and ontology as conceptual representation of reality, and their conceptual intermingling in a complex and systemic way. Thus, it appears that onticity and ontology, which are our ways of conceptual cognition are two facets of our systemic understanding. This paper also touches some aspects of Fuenmayor's phenomenological ontology.