Popular Lectures on Zoonomia: Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and DiseaseGarnett, Thomas
Science
Popular Lectures on Zoonomia: Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and Disease
Garnett, Thomas
Physiology
An object which is much nearer, or much more distant from the eyes,
than that to which their axes are directed, appears double. In this
case, it will easily appear, that the pictures of the object which is
seen double, do not fall upon points which are similarly situated.
From these facts, we are led to the following conclusion, viz. that
the points of the two retinas, which are similarly situated with
respect to the centres, correspond with each other, and that the
points which are dissimilarly situated, do not correspond. The truth
of this general conclusion is founded upon a a very full induction,
which is all the evidence we can have for a fact of this nature.
The next thing that seems to merit our attention, is, to inquire,
whether this correspondence between certain points of the two retinas
which is necessary to single vision, is the effect of custom, or an
original property of the human eyes.
We have a strong argument in favour of its being an original
property, from the habit we get of directing our eyes accurately to
an object; we get this habit by finding it necessary for perfect and
distinct vision; because thereby, the two images of the object
falling upon corresponding points, the eyes assist each other in
vision, and the object is seen better by both eyes together, than by
one: but when the eyes are not accurately directed, the two images of
the object fall upon points which do not correspond, whereby the
sight of the one eye disturbs that of the other. Hence it is not
unreasonable to conclude, that this correspondence between certain
points of the retina is prior to the habits we acquire in vision:
and, consequently, natural and original.
We have all acquired the habit of directing our eyes in one
particular manner, which causes single vision; now if the Author of
Nature had ordained that we should see objects single, only when our
eyes are thus directed, there is an obvious reason why all mankind
should agree in the habit of directing them in this manner; but, if
single vision were the effect of custom, any other habit of directing
the eyes would have answered the purpose; we therefore, on this
supposition, can give no reason why this particular habit should be
so universal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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