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History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
HoP 434 - The Eye Sees Not Itself But By Reflection - Theories of Vision
Dec 10, 2023
Exploring changing ideas about eyesight, light, mirror images, and refraction, including the theories of vision proposed by Aristotle, Ibn al-Haitham, and Witalo, and Kepler's understanding of light as a physical phenomenon. Delving into religious attitudes towards vision and the skeptical worries they may have inspired.
20:00
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast explores the theories of vision and the refraction of light, including the discovery of Snell's law by Harriet and Descartes.
- The changing attitudes towards vision in early modern times led to skepticism, but optical advances aimed to reveal the true nature of phenomena.
Deep dives
Theories of Vision and the Bent Stick Illusion
The podcast explores the theories of vision and discusses the visual illusion of a straight stick appearing bent when half submerged in water. The explanation for this illusion lies in the refraction of light, where the difference in refractive index between water and air causes the bending of light. The discovery of Snell's law by Thomas Harriet and Rene Descartes' publication of a proof for this law in 1637 are also mentioned.
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Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode