It is by our senses that we know that these things are optical illusions.
By only looking through the visual sense we are able to see things that are. What comes as confusing and “illusion” like is when we use a sense of thoughts/conceptualisation to interpret the visual information.
The optics in that article are completely wrong. To a first approximation, a mirror of a given size shows the same amount of your face independently of how far or near you hold it. It does not blur anything when held very near; it is your eyes that are unable to focus that near. The rest is woo.
I have no idea how this happened. We appear to have different experiences.
the same amount of your face independently of how far or near you hold it.
I’d make one clarification to say, the mirror shows a reflection. The mirror also changes apparent size depending on the distance from the eyes. Now eyeballs obviously don’t bend physics to produce experience which is why I say apparent size. I suppose I could say visual size instead..
It’s a feature of mirrors I am familiar with already. But just to please you, I got out a 2-inch-wide circular mirror and did the experiment, and it is as I said and knew it would be.
Exercise: How large was the circular area of my face that I saw in it?
You really did me a confusing moment. I double checked for myself and then asked someone else too after this response.
I don’t know how it’s possible to get your results. The science of the inverse square law alone should anticipate experience.
If we live in universes with different laws of physics, that’s fine. Carry on!
In response to the question: that
A. depends on how far away the mirror is.
B. And what scale you use to measure it.
C. What the frame of reference is for a measurement.
D. If you are measuring your “face” or the reflection.
I don’t know how it’s possible to get your results. The science of the inverse square law alone should anticipate experience.
This has nothing to do with the inverse square law, which relates the intensity of light to distance from the source. It’s geometrical optics: the paths the light takes.
No that would be a reflection.
http://www.headless.org/experiments/the-mirror.htm
By only looking through the visual sense we are able to see things that are. What comes as confusing and “illusion” like is when we use a sense of thoughts/conceptualisation to interpret the visual information.
The optics in that article are completely wrong. To a first approximation, a mirror of a given size shows the same amount of your face independently of how far or near you hold it. It does not blur anything when held very near; it is your eyes that are unable to focus that near. The rest is woo.
Did you do the experiment?
I just tried it, and Richard Kennaway is right.
I have no idea how this happened. We appear to have different experiences.
I’d make one clarification to say, the mirror shows a reflection. The mirror also changes apparent size depending on the distance from the eyes. Now eyeballs obviously don’t bend physics to produce experience which is why I say apparent size. I suppose I could say visual size instead..
It’s a feature of mirrors I am familiar with already. But just to please you, I got out a 2-inch-wide circular mirror and did the experiment, and it is as I said and knew it would be.
Exercise: How large was the circular area of my face that I saw in it?
You really did me a confusing moment. I double checked for myself and then asked someone else too after this response.
I don’t know how it’s possible to get your results. The science of the inverse square law alone should anticipate experience.
If we live in universes with different laws of physics, that’s fine. Carry on!
In response to the question: that A. depends on how far away the mirror is. B. And what scale you use to measure it. C. What the frame of reference is for a measurement. D. If you are measuring your “face” or the reflection.
This has nothing to do with the inverse square law, which relates the intensity of light to distance from the source. It’s geometrical optics: the paths the light takes.
How big was your mirror, and how much of your face did you see in it?