Perception and Illusion: Historical Perspectives / Edition 1

by N.J. Wade

Overview

Our contact with the world is through perception, and therefore the study of the process is of obvious importance and significance. For much of its long history, the study of perception has been confined to natural- tic observation. Nonetheless, the phenomena considered worthy of note have not been those that nurture our survival—the veridical features of perception—but the oddities or departures from the common and c- monplace accuracies of perception. With the move from the natural world to the laboratory the oddities of perception multiplied, and they received ever more detailed scrutiny. My general intention is to examine the interpretations of the perc- tual process and its errors throughout history. The emphasis on errors of perception might appear to be a narrow approach, but in fact it enc- passes virtually all perceptual research from the ancients until the present. The constancies of perception have been taken for granted whereas - partures from constancies (errors or illusions) have fostered fascination.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387227221
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	12/17/2004
Series:	Library of the History of Psychological Theories
Edition description:	2005
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.04(d)

Table of Contents

Recording Observations.- Nature of Perceptual Error.- Nature of Veridicality.- Perception in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.- The Instrumental Revolution in the Nineteenth Century.- The Response Revolution in the Nineteenth Century.- The Fragmentation of the Senses in the Nineteenth Century.- The Twentieth Century—The Multiplication of Illusion.- Conclusions.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Christopher J Graver, PhD, ABPP-CN(Madigan Healthcare System)
Description: This book provides a historical perspective on human perception, from the earliest evidence of cave drawings 30,000 years ago to advances in our understanding of the five primary senses in the early 20th century. The unique twist to the book is its focus on errors in perception, rather than the biological processes involved in true perception.
Purpose: The book reflects various strands of historical research in perception that have excited the author's interest. It is intended to examine interpretations of perceptual processes and associated errors throughout history. Although the book adheres to this objective for the most part, it spends significantly more time describing errors in the understanding of perceptual processes, rather than perceptual errors themselves.
Audience: The intended audience includes anyone interested in the historical perspective of perception theory, early experiments in the study of perception, and the basic biology of perception. The author is an experienced researcher in this field and published a number of studies on visual perception earlier in his career and has published more extensively on historical topics in recent years.
Features: A strength of this book is its ability to cover the history of perception quite thoroughly and include information about such wide-ranging topics as theory, anatomy, and psychophysics. The author definitely has a strong command of perceptual history, but at times the book is filled with names, dates, and other factual information presented in an uninspired fashion. For example, the author manages to take a fascinating topic such as phantom limbs and distill it down to historical dates, definitions, and descriptions that are completely separate from the human experience of such a phenomenon. To his credit, however, he combats this dry approach with anecdotes from well-known scientists and philosophers, which is an appreciated addition to give the book a more human touch. Although the author's sources of information are mostly appropriate, readers should be aware that the he cites his own publications far more than those of any other single author. Some of these citations are from books that are not subject to scientific scrutiny and his journal articles are generally commentaries in journals for which he serves on the editorial board.
Assessment: This book provides a thorough and accurate description of perceptual theories and experiments throughout history. It is does not, however, provide a hands-on reference for understanding the nature of perceptual errors or illusions. Readers seeking a book filled with the classic optical illusions, such as the Müller-Lyer, Poggendorff, or Hermann-grid illusions, will be disappointed. For readers seeking a more person-oriented perspective on disorders of perception, The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, Sacks (HarperCollins, 1998) is an endearing and fascinating book that will surely capture one's imagination. On the other hand, readers seeking a historical perspective on the science of perceptual discovery will likely find this book of interest, but the cost may be prohibitive.

Doody's Review Service

From the reviews:

"Wade has published numerous books and articles on perception, many of which deal with the history of research in this area. The present volume continues this trend … . Wade carries the historical account up to the present and concerns himself almost exclusively with vision, emphasizing the associations among art, illusion, and the scientific study of perception. … Highly recommended." (R. H. Cormack, Choice, Vol. 42 (10), 2005)

"Nicholas Wade is an active empirical visual scientist who has also become a leading historian for our subject. ... He has now presented an overall view of the history of perception, with an emphasis on visual perception. … The book is clearly written in an engaging style and provides the only broad but concise review of the history of the main topics in perception." (Prof. Ian P. Howard, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 41 (4), 2005)

"Nicholas Wade of Dundee University is characteristic of the breed of scientist-historian: he is respected for his own experimental work on visual perception, but he has also established himself as one of the foremost historians of visual science. … Perception and Illusion begins in the time of Euclid and Aristotle … . He ends with the late 20th-century view of the human observer as an information-processing system … . Despite this vast territory, Wade has a firm and accurate grasp of his material." (John Mollon, The Times Higher Educational Supplement, October, 2005)

From the Publisher

2 Stars from Doody