lew@ihuxr.UUCP (Lew Mammel, Jr.) (05/23/84)
Alan Wexelblat gave the following example of misperception:
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A more "severe" case of misperception is the following. Suppose
that, while touring through the grounds of a Hollywood movie studio, I
approach what, at first, I take to be a tree. As I come near to it, I suddenly
realize that what I have been approaching is, in fact, not a tree at all but a
cleverly constructed stage prop.
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This reminds me strongly of the Chapter, "Knock on Wood (Part two)",
of TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA. Here is an excerpt:
I left the place and walked down to the different street
corner. How beautiful the field looked and the creek that
came pouring down in a waterfall off the hill.
But as I got closer to the creek I could see that something
was wrong. The creek did not act right. There was a strangeness
to it. There was a thing about its motion that was wrong.
Finally I got close enough to see what the trouble was.
The waterfall was just a flight of white wooden stairs
leading up to a house in the trees.
I stood there for a long time, looking up and looking down,
following the stairs with my eyes, having trouble believing.
Then I knocked on my creek and heard the sound of wood.
TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA abounds with striking metaphors, similes, and
other forms of imagery. I had never considered these from the point
of view of the science of perception, but now that I do so, I think
they provide some interesting examples for contemplation.
The first chapter, "The Cover for Trout Fishing in America", provides
a very simple but interesting perceptual shift. "The Hunchback Trout"
provides an extended metaphor based on a simple perceptual similarity.
Anyway, it's a great book.
Lew Mammel, Jr. ihnp4!ihuxr!lew