History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 132 - Eye of the Beholder - Theories of Vision
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Jun 9, 2013 AI Snips
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Ibn al-Haytham's Optical Breakthrough
- Ibn al-Haytham produced the first correct-seeming theory of vision in the 10th–11th century Cairo.
- His Book of Optics built on Greek and earlier Arabic traditions to explain how eyesight actually works.
Plato's Fire Streams From The Eyes
- Plato proposed an extra-mission theory where a stream of fire issues from the eyes and meets external light.
- This model explained directionality and mirror effects by treating sight as the eye reaching out to touch.
Galen's Pneuma Transforms The Air
- Galen adapted extra-mission theory with pneuma from the brain sent to the eyes, affecting surrounding air.
- He argued this subtle breath turns the medium into an instrument that contacts distant objects for sight.