jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla) (03/27/85)
Thinking more about this problem of perception brought an odd story to mind. I'm not sure where I read this so I cannot cite a source for it. A group of Western researchers were in India investigating various fakirs, and decided to film the performance of the so-called "Indian rope trick". They wrote down what they saw before the film was developed in order to accurately compare the two. The investigators, and the rest of the crowd, saw an old man charm a rope into the air, straight up, and a young boy climbing the rope, and then I think the boy was also supposed to have disappeared at the top but I don't remember it that well. All members of the team and the crowd saw the same thing happen, and it seemed unquestionably real. But when the film was later developed it showed the old man and the young boy standing there the whole time, with the rope on the ground. Nothing else. This raises alot of questions (first of all being, is the story itself true ?). How was the illusion accomplished ? Can we say that what everyone *saw* is or is not real ? Since everyone saw exactly the same thing, and presumably acted on that premise, is that as good as a thing really happening ? Does it matter ? The fact that such an illusion could be perpetrated is in itself of great interest. If anyone else has read about this or can offer some (reasonable, intelligent) comments, I for one would appreciate it. -- jcpatilla "'Get stuffed !', the Harlequin replied ..."