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Do we really see what we think we see?

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:51 pm
by Stan
Go to this link to see an example of how we dont....

http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/co ... usion.html

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:00 pm
by formerly known as hf
That one's down to the 'spots before you eyes' effect that you get after looking at a bright point of light - each pink dot leaves a very faint retinal 'ghost', which you only notice if it switches off or you look at something else (the illusion ends immediately you change where your eyes are looking, even slightly)
The ghost is also green (I'm not sure why ghost spots are inverted colours...). Eventually the eye gets lazy from focusing on the same point, and the pink dots become more and more faint, as a form of tunnel vision sets in. The retinal burn stays as strong though, looking like a green dot rotationg around a blank space around the focal point of the cross.

I'm such a nerd...

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 6:01 pm
by rklenseth
But how do you really know what you are seeing is what is actually out there. All we have are our senses to trust. That is a lot of trust being poured into a few things.