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
98. And this seems to me the true reason why he should think those
objects uppermost that are painted on the lower part of his eye: for by
turning the eye up they shall be distinctly seen; as likewise those that
are painted on the highest part of the eye shall be distinctly seen by
turning the eye down, and are for that reason esteemed lowest; for we
have shown that to the immediate objects of sight considered in
themselves, he would not attribute the terms HIGH and LOW. It must
therefore be on account of some circumstances which are observed to
attend them: and these, it is plain, are the actions of turning the eye
up and down, which suggest a very obvious reason why the mind should
denominate the objects of sight accordingly high or low. And without this
motion of the eye, this turning it up and down in order to discern
different objects, doubtless ERECT, INVERSE, and other the like terms
relating to the position of tangible objects, would never have been
transferred, or in any degree apprehended to belong to the ideas of
sight: the mere act of seeing including nothing in it to that purpose;
whereas the different situations of the eye naturally direct the mind to
make a suitable judgment of the situation of objects intromitted by it.
99. Farther, when he has by experience learned the connexion there is
between the several ideas of sight and touch, he will be able, by the
perception he has of the situation of visible things in respect of one
another, to make a sudden and true estimate of the situation of outward,
tangible things corresponding to them. And thus it is he shall perceive
by sight the situation of external objects which do not properly fall
under that sense.
100. I know we are very prone to think that, if just made to see, we
should judge of the situation of visible things as we do now: but we are
also as prone to think that, at first sight, we should in the same way
apprehend the distance and magnitude of objects as we do now: which hath
been shown to be a false and groundless persuasion. And for the like
reasons the same censure may be passed on the positive assurance that
most men, before they have thought sufficiently of the matter, might have
of their being able to determine by the eye at first view, whether
objects were erect or inverse.
101. It will, perhaps, be objected co our opinion that a man, for
instance, being thought erect when his feet are next the earth, and
inverted when his head is next the earth, it doth hence follow that by
the mere act of vision, without any experience or altering the situation
of the eye, we should have determined whether he were erect or inverted:
for both the earth itself, and the limbs of the man who stands thereon,
being equally perceived by sight, one cannot choose seeing what part of
the man is nearest the earth, and what part farthest from it, i.e.
whether he be erect or inverted.
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