An Essay Towards a New Theory of VisionBerkeley, George
Philosophy
An Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision
Berkeley, George
Vision -- Early works to 1800
77. With reference to this opinion, not to repeat what hath been already
said concerning distance, I shall only observe, FIRST, that if the
prospect of interjacent objects be that which suggests the idea of
farther distance, and this idea of farther distance be the cause that
brings into the mind the idea of greater magnitude, it should hence
follow that if one looked at the horizontal moon from behind a wall, it
would appear no bigger than ordinary. For in that case the wall
interposing cuts off all that prospect of sea and land, etc. which might
otherwise increase the apparent distance, and thereby the apparent
magnitude of the moon. Nor will it suffice to say the memory doth even
then suggest all that extent of land, etc., which lies within the
horizon; which suggestion occasions a sudden judgment of sense that the
moon is farther off and larger than usual. For ask any man who, from such
a station beholding the horizontal moon, shall think her greater than
usual, whether he hath at that time in his mind any idea of the
intermediate objects, or long tract of land that lies between his eye and
the extreme edge of the horizon? And whether it be that idea which is the
cause of his making the aforementioned judgment? He will, I suppose,
reply in the negative, and declare the horizontal moon shall appear
greater than the meridional, though he never thinks of all or any of
those things that lie between him and it. SECONDLY, it seems impossible
by this hypothesis to account for the moon's appearing in the very same
situation at one time greater than at another; which nevertheless has
been shown to be very agreeable to the principles we have laid down, and
receives a most easy and natural explication from them. For the further
clearing' up of this point it is to be observed that what we immediately
and properly see are only lights and colours in sundry situations and
shades and degrees of faintness and clearness, confusion and
distinctness. All which visible objects are only in the mind, nor do they
suggest ought external, whether distance or magnitude, otherwise than by
habitual connexion as words do things. We are also to remark that, beside
the straining of the eyes, and beside the vivid and faint, the distinct
and confused appearances (which, bearing some proportion to lines and
angles, have been substituted instead of them in the foregoing part of
this treatise), there are other means which suggest both distance and
magnitude; particularly the situation of visible points of objects, as
upper or lower; the one suggesting a farther distance and greater
magnitude, the other a nearer distance and lesser magnitude: all which is
an effect only of custom and experience; there being really nothing
intermediate in the line of distance between the uppermost and lowermost,
which are both equidistant, or rather at no distance from the eye, as
there is also nothing in upper or lower, which by necessary connexion
should suggest greater or lesser magnitude.
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