A 2008 study, scientists at the University College London have discovered the link between what we're usually expecting to see and what our brain is telling us we actually saw.
Indeed, many times it happens when we believe in something quite naturally, that the world has ceased from making sense to us as our logical brain is unable to process what's going on.
This UCL study shows that the context around what we're seeing is very important, sometimes overriding the proof our eyes gather and even leading us to imaging things and circumstances that don't really exist.
In addition, the study reveals that an unclear context is more impactful and helps humans to fill in more blanks compared to well-defined and bright context.
This then may explain the reason we are susceptible to "see imaginary shapes in the shadows" when there is poor light.
Optical Illusions Demonstrated
In a captivating TED Talk video of Beau Lotto below, he demonstrated impressive optical illusions, challenging the nature of sensory perception, not to mention, reality.
According to Thought Medicine, the Lotto Lab founding and "Why We See What We Do: An Empirical Theory of Vision Lotto" the author discovered how the human brain is synthesizing perceptions that are far more circumstantial and "much less extensive than we realize."
Lotto said "seeing color in one of the simplest things" the brain is doing, "yet even at this most fundamental level context is everything."
The reason for this was that Lotto added, because that humans need the sensory input "received from out there" to be functional.
For colors, explained the expert, retinal information becomes meaningless as it could literally mean anything.
How the Brain Evolves
Most people can read certain sentences because their brains did not evolve to interpret the world in the manner it actually does.
Lotto said, "significance develops" through interaction with the word. Furthermore, the brain is evolving the way it was functional to see in the past, and the manner humans see is by continuously redefining normalcy.
This means that our brains are skillful when it comes to filling in the gaps to maintain a consistent structure so we can "navigate the world" around us.
This could also be believed as what the expert mean that humans are redefining normalcy in link to the sensory input of the present, or in other words, "objectively."
What the Brains Use to Develop Context
Since our past experiences are what our brains are using for the development of context, it is simple to imagine how we may be restricting ourselves by unconsciously filtering out information.
In his talk, Lotto concluded, only by uncertainty is there a possibility for understanding. He may have run out of time and had no chance to explain fully what that meant.
However, having just experienced the comfort with which he has challenged the human sensory link to the world, it is now clear to us that in terms of the "act of seeing, we live in an 'illusion of the senses'."
Lastly, as Lotto ended his talk, he said, "there is a paradox at work here." As uncomfortable as it may seem, at times, we may need to let go of what's known to us to perceive something brand new.
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