Philosophy Now Forum

I have a surprise for you. This isn't a thread about Einstein's Theory of Relativity.

When you look at a photo of the sun, the sunspots aren't dark at all. They just seem that way because the surrounding area is far hotter (and brighter) than those spots. So brightness is relative.

Can you think of other relative situations as the one just described?

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Jun 25, 2017 9:58 pm This isn't a thread about Einstein's Theory of Relativity.


PhilX

That's a surprise.

Look up chess board optical illusion.

Science Fan wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:36 am Look up chess board optical illusion.

A good illusion (with the best version). It's interesting how our brains interpret information.

PhilX

Right. That illusion shows that our brains really are involved in processing information in order for our visual systems to function, and that our sense of vision is not some automatic process that provides us with the "truth" of what we are looking at. In other words, part of our visual system is dependent on a reasoning part of our brain that draws inferences from the data our vision system sends to our brain. For the most part, it works fine, but then there are other times, when it breaks down.

Neurobiology is an interesting subject.

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:30 pm

Science Fan wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:36 am Look up chess board optical illusion.

A good illusion (with the best version). It's interesting how our brains interpret information.

Personally, I think there's something fishy going on with that illusion.

I mean just look at it here on YouTube https://youtu.be/z9Sen1HTu5o and tell me what you think would happen if instead of sliding the light square over onto the dark square, they reversed it and slid the dark square over onto the light square?

If it is truly the same shade of grey on both squares, then why not do that to really drive home the point, but you never see that being done. (Why not?)
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seeds wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:58 am

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:30 pm

Science Fan wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:36 am Look up chess board optical illusion.

A good illusion (with the best version). It's interesting how our brains interpret information.

Personally, I think there's something fishy going on with that illusion.

I mean just look at it here on YouTube https://youtu.be/z9Sen1HTu5o and tell me what you think would happen if instead of sliding the light square over onto the dark square, they reversed it and slid the dark square over onto the light square?

If it is truly the same shade of grey on both squares, then why not do that to really drive home the point, but you never see that being done. (Why not?)
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Because you haven't produced that video yet. Why not give it a go and see what happens? (I'll be waiting to see what you come up with)

PhilX

seeds wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:58 am I mean just look at it here on YouTube https://youtu.be/z9Sen1HTu5o and tell me what you think would happen if instead of sliding the light square over onto the dark square, they reversed it and slid the dark square over onto the light square?

I saw a still version of that illusion once. I used Photoshop to measure the color of the "light" and "dark" squares. They are indeed exactly the same. It's an amazing illusion.

seeds wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:58 am ...If it is truly the same shade of grey on both squares, then why not do that to really drive home the point, but you never see that being done. (Why not?)
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Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:30 pm Because you haven't produced that video yet. Why not give it a go and see what happens? (I'll be waiting to see what you come up with)

You'll be waiting for a long time, PhilX.

No time, no money, no incentive, and especially no desire to be proven wrong.

wtf wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2017 5:53 am

seeds wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:58 am I mean just look at it here on YouTube https://youtu.be/z9Sen1HTu5o and tell me what you think would happen if instead of sliding the light square over onto the dark square, they reversed it and slid the dark square over onto the light square?

I saw a still version of that illusion once. I used Photoshop to measure the color of the "light" and "dark" squares. They are indeed exactly the same. It's an amazing illusion.

Actually, to be honest, I remember doing the same thing in Photoshop and coming to the same conclusion as you.

Nevertheless, I would still like to see them slide the dark square over onto the light square in the live demonstration.

Again, why not do that just to reinforce the point?
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