What we actually see and what we perceive

By Anonymous -
I wanted to expand upon Prof. Nelson's talk about what we think we see and what we are actually seeing. I want to relate this to the idea that sometimes peoples minds change to make them think they saw what their minds want them to see. It is fascinating to see how our minds can trick us and affect other things we view. I am attaching a link to a optical illusion. If you stare at this for about 30 seconds and then focus on another item you will see the affects that it plays on you. http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mot-adaptSpiral/index.html

*If you take offense to South Park Don't watch* -explanation below

Another thing I want to discuss are people who think they have spotted phenomenons. The idea of spotting a UFO or big foot. Did they actually see these things? Or did they just spot a plane or an animal and their so set on spotting the legend that their minds force them to believe that what they saw is true? While a little informal, this clip from South Park is exactly what I am talking about. Cartman made up the idea of a Jewpacabra (same concept as bigfoot) and the "researchers" were convinced it was real, this ended up with Cartman believing his own lie.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amidst the Pandemic

By -
Image
I think having the opportunity to take Smells and Bells and then experiencing a worldwide pandemic came with good timing. Oftentimes, we’re so rushed to get from one one place to another that we miss out on what happens around us. We’re so accustomed to the lifestyle of being busy that it has become the norm for many of us. However, the pandemic has forced us to slow down. We’re now appreciating everything that we had previously taken for granted and noticing things in our surroundings that we have never noticed before.  Take this quarantining/social distancing as an opportunity to be more aware of what you experience through the senses. I don’t think my senses have necessarily heightened over the past 5 weeks, but I am actively making the choice to pay more attention to what I see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. I like going on nature/mindfulness walks and basking in the sunshine out in my backyard. This morning, I could hear a faint noise from the wind, hear the birds chirpin...
Read more

Food in the Afterlife

By -
Image
In Religion in the Kitchen: Cooking, Talking, and the Making of Black Atlantic Traditions , Perez talks of Ashabi and her grandchildren providing food offerings to their ancestors. This immediately reminded me of the practice of food sacrifice in early China. I've taken Chinese language classes for about 7 years now and in one of the lessons, we learned about food as well as the history of food in Chinese culture. Ashabi and her grandchildren would give food offerings to their ancestors every day. This included nine beverages (coffee, liquor, and water mixed with sugar and molasses) and nine square pieces of coconut topped with red palm oil and guinea pepper. The offerings would also include whatever food was dropped on the ground. In their house, food dropping on the floor signified more than it would in common American households. It signified that the ancestors wanted that food and had willingly made it fall to the floor. They also used dishware that had been chipped which was...
Read more