A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “perception”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Scott reviews Steven Byrnes' work explaining how our perception of self and consciousness can flip between different models, similar to optical illusions, which explains phenomena like trance, hypnosis, and spiritual experiences.
Scott Alexander explores the concept of 'trapped priors' as a fundamental problem in rationality, explaining how it leads to persistent biases and suggesting potential solutions.
Scott Alexander investigates the prevalence of Hallucinogen Persisting Perceptual Disorder (HPPD) and explores potential connections between perception, cognition, and belief in supernatural phenomena.
Scott reviews Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions', finding its thesis on paradigm shifts in science intriguing but frustratingly vague, especially beyond physics.
Scott presents a distorted map of Europe as a riddle, challenging readers to reconsider their perceptions and solve the puzzle.
Scott Alexander reviews 'Surfing Uncertainty' by Andy Clark, exploring the predictive processing model of brain function and its wide-ranging explanatory power.
Scott Alexander explores potential links between perception of optical illusions and cognitive styles, proposing further research to investigate these connections.
The post explores how Bayesian processes in the brain might explain perception and various mental disorders, linking neurotransmitters to different aspects of Bayesian reasoning.
Two individuals share childhood misconceptions: Davis thought secrets weren't real, and Julia believed stars were just a poetic metaphor.
Scott Alexander explores subjective temporal granularity, its relation to meditation, and how it might allow for intervening in thought construction.
Scott questions whether mass hallucinations are real, distinguishing between mass hysteria (false beliefs) and actual shared vivid hallucinations, and asks for evidence of the latter.
Scott presents Horace Miner's satirical essay describing American culture as an exotic tribe called the 'Nacirema,' demonstrating how framing effects and cultural expectations shape anthropological interpretation.