The hottest Perception Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Making Sense of Consciousness Part 8: Summing Up

Rough Diamonds • 13 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Consciousness involves three main ideas: noticing things, being awake, and having a sense of self. Noticing things is the most important part.
  2. Being conscious helps us make better choices by understanding our own abilities and how they relate to our environment. It allows us to be cautious when we need to be.
  3. Pain and pleasure are conscious experiences that help us react to situations, but it's possible to perceive injury without suffering from it. Consciousness can vary, and this is an important aspect of our understanding of sentience.

What Food Psychology Reveals

Learning Machine • 58 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Perception
  1. Marketing techniques influence our perception of food and beverages.
  2. Consumers are often swayed by branding and storytelling more than actual product quality.
  3. Our brains are easily tricked into believing stories, impacting how we experience things.

How To See Impossible Colours

Everything Is Amazing • 733 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🔬 Science Perception
  1. By focusing your eyes in a certain way, you can see impossible colors like red-green or blue-yellow.
  2. Seeing colors like Stygian Blue or Hyperbolic Orange challenges our understanding, as they seem darker or brighter than physically possible.
  3. Experimenting with how you view colors can lead to unique perceptual experiences, expanding the boundaries of human vision.

The movie isn't alive

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Perception
  1. Humans often see faces in things that don't have them, which shows how our minds can trick us. This idea extends to chatbots, which can seem alive but are really just processing prompts without true understanding.
  2. Chatbots may appear to have memory or awareness in a conversation, but they actually rely on previous prompts without retaining any real continuity. This can make interactions feel more human-like, even though they lack true awareness.
  3. It's helpful to recognize that chatbots and similar technologies are more about creating illusions than actual intelligence. Understanding this can improve how we design and use them, rather than expecting them to behave independently like a living being.
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Making Sense of Consciousness Part 1: Perceptual Awareness

Rough Diamonds • 32 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🔬 Science Perception
  1. Consciousness is all about personal experiences and awareness of self, and it's usually absent during deep sleep or anesthesia. Understanding how consciousness works doesn't require diving into complex philosophy.
  2. There are fascinating phenomena like blindsight, where people can respond to visual stimuli without consciously seeing them, showing that our brains can process information even when we're not aware of it.
  3. Similar to blindsight, there are cases of 'deaf hearing' and 'numb touch,' where individuals can react to sounds or sensations without consciously feeling them. This suggests that perception can happen on different levels, even with brain damage.

Learning to see better by learning to unsee | #15

pole • 78 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. In the journey of learning and growth, it's important to embrace the process and not get too caught up in setbacks.
  2. Sometimes, the key to understanding and creativity lies in viewing the world from different perspectives and challenging existing perceptions.
  3. Learning to unsee and approach situations with a fresh perspective can lead to deeper insights and personal growth.

Pathless Path

do clouds feel vertigo? • 19 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Breaking out of our usual habits can lead to surprising discoveries. When we pay attention, we might find new paths and experiences waiting for us.
  2. Curiosity can help us push past our fears. Feeling anxious about the unknown is normal, but choosing to explore can open up new opportunities.
  3. Innovation often starts from simply noticing something different. With courage and a willingness to step off the beaten path, we can reshape our understanding and create new adventures.

Why No One Speaks Up Even When We All Disagree With What Is Happening

⭐️Bob’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Perception
  1. Pluralistic ignorance is when people privately disagree but assume others support a norm. This silence can perpetuate dysfunctional systems.
  2. To overcome pluralistic ignorance, question assumptions and speak up respectfully. Leaders can encourage dissent to create change.
  3. Recognizing pluralistic ignorance reveals manufactured consent and the need for realignment. Question the illusion, inquire into others' perspectives, and speak up to challenge the status quo.

TRUE STORY

Carefree Sketches • 39 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Truth is not a one-dimensional concept; it has different levels of validity based on circumstances and perspectives.
  2. Truth can be distorted by stereotypes and outliers, challenging traditional notions and creating new perspectives.
  3. Truth, like a reliable tool, needs to be durable, versatile, and simple to be effective in various situations.

A Crisis of Perception

⭐️Bob’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Perception
  1. Our perception is being fundamentally altered by digital immersion and environmental changes, leading to a crisis of perception.
  2. Digital media exposure and technological inundation are linked to atypical sensory processing in children, impacting cognitive development.
  3. Reclaiming sensory vitality through nature interaction, sensory immersion, and digital detoxing may help combat the loss of sensory acuity and revitalize our perceptual experiences.

Moral breadth

Philosophy bear • 107 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Seeing people with moral breadth means understanding they can be both good and bad.
  2. Not acknowledging moral breadth can lead to negative consequences like overlooking bad behavior.
  3. Balancing moral breadth involves recognizing both the good and bad in people, without minimizing either.

We Just Don't Understand People

Integrity Talk • 99 implied HN points • 26 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Understanding people's minds is complex, mostly based on intuition rather than rational thinking.
  2. Our ability to predict behaviors is limited, even with simpler organisms like ants.
  3. Social norms heavily influence our ability to understand others, but the depths of the human mind remain mysterious.

The Illusionist's Quest

DecafQuest's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 18 May 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. The article discusses the Illusionist perspective on consciousness, which challenges the traditional Cartesian view.
  2. Illusionism posits that consciousness is an evolutionary trick, creating the illusion of a 'ghost' directing our actions.
  3. Understanding consciousness as an illusion can revolutionize how we study and perceive subjective experiences.

Clock time or rock time?

lifeboat • 19 implied HN points • 03 May 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Time is weirder than we think, with deep connections to the past and future.
  2. Different cultures have different ways of understanding time, like the concepts of Chronos and Kairos.
  3. Changing how we perceive time can shift our sense of agency and possibility, moving us from despair to action.

#70 Design illusions

Design Lobster • 139 implied HN points • 31 May 21
🎨 Art & Illustration Perception
  1. Design can deceive our eyes through various techniques like overshooting in type design and visual illusions in architecture.
  2. Human visual perception quirks are important to consider in design to create effective and impactful visuals.
  3. Context and wit can be leveraged in design to playfully interact with surroundings, adding depth and interest to the design.

The Beauty Quandary

Polymathic Being • 77 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Perception
  1. Beauty is a complex topic that influences various aspects of our lives, from societal perceptions to evolutionary biology.
  2. Looking good involves presenting ourselves in a way that signals health, status, and genetic viability.
  3. Our appearance can impact our social and economic outcomes, and understanding these dynamics can help us address biases and stereotypes.

Consciousness is a consensus mechanism

resonantbrain • 4 HN points • 13 Apr 24
🔬 Science Perception
  1. Consciousness is a consensus mechanism where your past experiences shape your current reality.
  2. Understanding consciousness requires exploring not just the 'it' but also the 'I' - who is feeling and experiencing.
  3. Consciousness emerges from a constellation of experiences, creating a unique 'you' with each feeling.

Making Sense of Consciousness Part 2: Attention

Rough Diamonds • 6 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. We can process information without being consciously aware of it. Sometimes our brains notice things, but we don't actually realize we've noticed them.
  2. Inattentional blindness happens when we're focused on a task and miss other things, like a gorilla in a video. This shows that being distracted can block our awareness.
  3. Even when we don’t consciously see something, it can still influence our actions. Our brains react differently when we notice versus when we don’t, which affects how we behave.

The Spreading Cracks in the Facade of Reality

Charles Eisenstein • 11 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Reality is shaped by narratives and stories. How we view the world and share those views can change what's possible.
  2. Many conspiracy theories are messy and can't all be true, leading to confusion. Understanding the truth will take time as these ideas mix and clash.
  3. Our choices and feelings shape the future. Positive actions and emotions can lead to a better outcome, while negative ones can bring harm.

Lost Ways of Knowing

The Bigger Picture • 59 implied HN points • 14 Feb 20
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. We are facing a meaning crisis, losing connections to our roots and historical trajectory, which impacts our politics and the environment.
  2. Different 'memetic tribes' are constructing maps of reality, leading to polarization and closed ways of perceiving the world.
  3. To navigate the complexity, we need to embrace lost ways of knowing, balance left and right brain functions, and engage in participatory learning to understand and connect with our environment.

the tavern and the temple

visa's voltaic verses ⚡️ • 23 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Regular writing can be a tonic for the mind and soul, helping to maintain mental clarity and honesty.
  2. Different mediums and platforms can affect the reception of one's writing and thoughts, guiding the need for adaptation.
  3. Exploring perceptions, challenging fixed ideas, and embracing patience can lead to personal growth and deeper understanding.

reality is unrealistic, take 1

visa's voltaic verses ⚡️ • 24 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Reality is often unrealistic and doesn't always conform to our expectations.
  2. Being realistic doesn't necessarily mean having an accurate view of reality; it often implies being conservative in approach.
  3. People can get very attached to their models of reality, but it's important to adapt and update them when reality contradicts.

branching paths

visa's voltaic verses ⚡️ • 15 implied HN points • 11 May 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Life is full of possibilities and various paths can be taken at any moment.
  2. Nominative determinism suggests people are drawn to careers that align with their names.
  3. Information architecture is complex and involves understanding how information is laid out especially for its users.

#26 Irony, PoMo clocks and meaningful order

Design Lobster • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jul 20
🎨 Art & Illustration Perception
  1. Design can change the way people perceive the world by creating unexpected and thought-provoking experiences.
  2. Playfulness in design can add personality and uniqueness to a product, sparking interest and intrigue.
  3. Design can either impose meaningful order or disrupt it, but it's essential to be intentional and consistent with design choices.

Affect is Protocol

Donkeyspace • 5 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Our perception and understanding of the world are influenced by our emotional state and personal experiences.
  2. Affect can be viewed as a protocol that formats and processes data, shaping the information we extract from our environment.
  3. Our emotional responses and preferences play a significant role in how we perceive and interact with the world, affecting what we notice and how we interpret things.

What is a Bias?

Optimally Irrational • 6 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🔬 Science Perception
  1. The definition of bias relies on the notion of error and comparison to a correct standard.
  2. Rational decisions align with personal plans and goals, not just maximizing satisfaction.
  3. Biases may not always be errors but could be optimal solutions under specific constraints.

Perception Shaping

software + caffeine = blog • 1 HN point • 31 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Perception
  1. SRE should shape engineering's perception of reality through accountability and visibility.
  2. SRE should be a lifeline for other engineering teams, prioritizing help and mentoring.
  3. SRE should focus on creating conduits with management rather than enforcing rules, understanding priorities, and coaching executives.

Beyond Senses

Joe Tourville • 6 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Perception
  1. Our intellect is our primary tool for grasping reality, not our senses.
  2. The key to true understanding lies within ourselves, not in the external world.
  3. By focusing inward and understanding our own minds, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Language, perception, and empathy: Ukrainian's gaze

zverok on lucid code • 4 HN points • 16 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Perception
  1. The rejected talk proposal at a Ruby conference focused on language evolution and empathy from the perspective of a Ukrainian experiencing war.
  2. The author reflects on the community's response to the war and discusses the challenge of coping with huge events like genocide.
  3. Connecting code clarity to truth, the author urges vigilance in recognizing when old thinking frameworks no longer align with new realities.