This TEDtalks talkwas all about the subject of optical illusions, which is kind of a fun topic, a little bit like magic, but if that was all there was to it, the parlor trick aspect of things, I would not consider it blogworthy. Come to think of it, if that was all there was to it, it might not have been TEDtalksworthy.
How a Bee Sees a Flower
Besides a couple of very interesting educational asides (honey is basically bee barf, and the eyes of Geordie LaForge are probably closer to being developed than we thought), the main thrust of the topic was that we don’t see the world exactly as it is, but we see it filtered through our senses, which have evolved to see things in a certain way. The sky is not blue. In fact, when we look out at night, it appears black because we are actually seeing right through it into deep space, which is about as black as you can get. By day, when you might think it would be a bright yellow because of the sun, it appears as blue because that is how the atmosphere is filtering the light.
It’s nice to know, but really we have evolved with the knowledge that if you want to go for a walk in the woods it’s better to go in the daytime or you will spend the whole day bumping into trees and since we all perceive things in that way, and it’s a way which is verifiable via the other senses, that’s what counts.
Culturally, and politically, we all see things differently because our life experiences are somewhat different. In the short-term, and specifically looking at American politics, this is sort of a scary view of the universe and mankind’s place in it.
Looked at from a longer view, though, this is encouraging. Once we triangulate our divergent views, we will have a very powerful and comprehensive image of the universe.
Artificial intelligence is right around the corner, and we are it.
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