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Blind Man Navigates Maze


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BrandonD

Skilled Investigator
Here's a link to the BBC article:

BBC NEWS | Health | Blind man navigates maze

Summary: Man has no brain activity in his visual cortex, and yet navigates unaided through a maze of obstacles without having conscious awareness of navigating the maze.

One of the most interesting quotes in the article: "Lead researcher Dr Beatrice de Gelder... said TN was "not aware of doing anything exceptional" and thought all he had done was walk straight ahead along a long corridor."
 
he has the ability to respond to visual stimuli without consciously perceiving them. This condition can occur after certain types of brain damage.

i believe he can see, he just doesnt know it.
 
pixelsmith said:
he has the ability to respond to visual stimuli without consciously perceiving them. This condition can occur after certain types of brain damage.

i believe he can see, he just doesnt know it.
Click to expand...

from the article: "His eyes are normal but his brain cannot process the information they send in, rendering him totally blind."

According to my understanding, the part of his brain that processes visual information does not work. Perhaps another part of the brain has shouldered the work of the visual cortex, but this still wouldn't explain why he is not conscious of seeing anything.

This is a fascinating article, touching on many subjects. The man believes he is simply walking down a straight corridor, and yet he is clearly moving right and left. He is responding to objects in his environment, and yet he has no conscious knowledge of these objects being there.

Consider the possibility that we might be in an analogous situation as this blind man.

I've contacted the researchers and organizations involved in this study and asked some follow-up questions. I'm eager to see if they'll respond.
 
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