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Leah Bonnell's picture

Blindsight

Thursday's discussion made me think of an article I recently read in the New York Times on the phenomena of "blindsight." Researchers have found that it is possible for someone we would consider blind, someone whose visual lobes were entirely destroyed, to navigate a cluttered hallway and recognize some facial expressions. The article states that this phenomena of blindsight comes from a second unconscious visual system located in a different part of the brain from the visual lobes.  

When I first read this article, I didn't really believe it, but Thursday's discussion on sensory receptors has not only helped me understand the article, but convinced me blindsight exists. Before class, I thought the only types of sensory receptors that existed were the basic five senses and as a result I couldn't really understand the article. In class we talked about how there are many sensory receptors beyond the five senses and that some of them are unconscious. Now I understand blindsight as one of these unconscious senses we discussed in class. 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/23blin.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/C/Carey,%20Benedict

 

 

 

 

 

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