Seeing v. Looking

I see the difference between "seeing" and "looking" as a passive and active take on the same experience. One is an interpretation of an observation and the other is a seeking out of the observation. To relate it to the auditory sense, one would be like "hearing" and the other would be like "listening."

To "see" something implies that the "something" already exists and the action of "seeing" it is a choice whether to see it or not and how you interpret that input. Seeing can be an active thing, but the initial input is a fairly static exchange between eyeballs and brain impulses. It only becomes an action if we force it to be. This would be like the auditory term "hearing."

"Looking" at something implies a certain amount of seeking or thinking involved. There is a certain depth that comes with the word "look." It assumes that I am not just receiving information from nervous synapses, but that I am taking the initiative to think about the information that I am receiving. This would be like "listening" to something. I am no longer just hearing the sound, but I am understanding and interpreting it.