Sense Perception

Sense Perception

Question Which person is more likely to see the Moon as it really is? A person looking at the Moon from Earth? or An astronaut looking at the Moon while standing on it?

Question Which person is more likely to see the Earth as it really is? A person standing on the surface of the Earth? or An astronaut looking at Earth from the Moon?

I call it as I see it • The Snapshot model of perception • Common sense realism • My senses capture information and my brain records it. • And my memory recalls it when requested.

Snapshot • Colours, smells, objects exist • Being observed does not change them • Empiricism – all knowledge is based on perception • Scientific method uses empirical observation

The eye sucks Image is upside down Nearly colour blind Terrible depth of field It jumps & refocuses several times a second It should look like a crappy home video!

Why aren’t we living in a crappy home video? Sensation – provided by the world via senses Interpretation – provided by our brains

We interpret data depending on the context, what we already know, our assumptions, our biology... …data, information, knowledge… …we tend to simplify the data stream and group it according to patterns we already recognise

Optical illusions - pre-existing knowledge Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma Richard van de Lagemaat

Optical illusions – background/forground

Optical illusions – visual grouping

Optical illusions – expectations

Perception is constructed Zen saying: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Zennoying • "Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind. One said, "The flag moves." The other said, "The wind moves." They argued back and forth but could not agree. • The Sixth Ancestor said, "Gentlemen! It is not the wind that moves; it is not the flag that moves; it is your mind that moves." The two monks were struck with awe." • - The Mumonkan Case 29, translation by Robert Aitken

Zen saying: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" What if I steal your fries and you don’t see it?

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Perception is attention dependant Changes that affect meaning are more likely to be noticed We notice what matters to us.

Perception is culturally constructed Gestalt We simplify to what’s important We percieve whole configurations We put it in to context

Perception is culturally constructed Context Would the world’s greatest violinist busk in a subway? Joshua Bell

Perception is culturally constructed The Washington Post 1,097 people walked by hardly anyone stopped One man listened for a few minutes a couple of kids stared and one woman recognized him “Pearls before Breakfast” The Washington post, 2007

Perception is culturally constructed Reason helps order & link relationships - Cause & effect • Language helps catagorise & communicate • Can we understand something without a word for it? • e.g. cancer Perception Emotions help make value judgements - Emotions improve memory

Perception is culturally constructed So if meaning is culturally constructed, where does that leave us? Science Maths Art History

Sense Perception