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  1. EpicureanFriends - Home of Classical Epicurean Philosophy
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  4. Explaining Why Illusions Do Not Invalidate Reliance on The Senses
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Purpose of this Subforum - Explaining How Illusions Are Corrected By The Senses Themselves

  • Cassius
  • April 23, 2024 at 8:11 AM
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    • April 23, 2024 at 8:11 AM
    • #1

    We probably have multiple threads on illusions throughout the forum and over time we can try to reposition them here, because this is a topic that is discussed extensively in Lucretius Book 4, and it's interesting to talk about. It needs to be clear and emphatically understood that it is core Epicurean doctrine that error lies in opinion, rather than the senses, and that the senses report "truthfully" in the sense of "honestly" and that those who reject the senses are talking nonsense -- or "upside down" as Lucretius says.

    This thought was spurred on by seeing this photo below cross my feed this morning. I'm not particularly pleased with the thought that is no doubt behind it, but I have to admit that this is an interesting illusion! And no, it's not anything of questionable underaged nature! ;)

    The point generally being - ultimately the way to correct inaccurate opinions is through repeated and more precise use of the senses, not through rejecting the senses in favor of abstract logic or other non-sensual means.

    I don't think I have seen one like this before -- interesting to think about how this was created.



    I have a feeling this category could be very popular, so I encourage others to post similar illusions and discussions. Feel free to start new threads on each significant example.

  • TauPhi
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    • April 23, 2024 at 9:05 AM
    • #2
    Quote from Cassius

    the senses report "truthfully" in the sense of "honestly"

    "Honestly" might be confusing as it implies that the senses have a choice of being the good guys or the bad guys. Our senses are nothing more than very limited input devices and, withing their limits, all they do is provide our brains unbiased inputs for further processing. Our brains are the bad guys lying to us all the time.

    Quote from Cassius

    I don't think I have seen one like this before -- interesting to think about how this was created.

    This was created in your lying brain due to phenomenon called pareidolia. ;)

  • Kalosyni
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    • April 25, 2024 at 3:01 PM
    • #3

    What about Mercury retrograde? Here is a fun, short explanation :saint:

  • kochiekoch
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    • April 26, 2024 at 9:02 PM
    • #4

    My very superstitious mother was always VERY CONCERNED when Mercury went into retrograde.


    It was BAD NEWS. :(

  • TauPhi
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    • May 6, 2024 at 1:00 PM
    • #5

    I have been playing with autostereograms recently and I thought I'll create one for you, my Epicurean Friends. If you're not afraid of cross-eyed vergence, learn how to take that peculiar look at the picture below. I left a note for you at the very centre of it. Have fun.

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    • May 6, 2024 at 2:12 PM
    • #6

    So far, it's Greek to me! ;)

  • TauPhi
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    • May 6, 2024 at 2:58 PM
    • #7

    Haha. I guess this is the case where you need to train your senses to see illusions. ;)
    Anti-Epicurean jokes aside, the easiest way to approach it would be:

    1. Make the picture full screen (or just quite big)
    2. Put your face close to the screen (let's say 8 inches)
    3. Cross your eyes gently
    4. Move away slowly with your eyes crossed but focused at the centre of the picture.
    5. At one point your vision should focus and you should see my message at the centre in the 3rd dimension.

    All this might not work if your sight is heavily impaired or you're neurologically incapable of perceiving depth. Otherwise, with a bit of practice you should realise it's not Greek but English. ;)

  • Bryan
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    • May 6, 2024 at 3:19 PM
    • #8

    Wow, that is very cool TauPhi! That works well! I have never seen a version like this before that selects some of the text. Thank you for sharing.

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