Re:Learning to see in 3D

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 10:16:35 -0500
>From: P3D John W Roberts writes:
>......................The article was about
>the vision systems in young cats. Cats have visual centers for processing
>the incoming left and right views, but when they are very young, the visual
>signals from both eyes go to both processing centers.
>........... snip........Above a certain age, the ability
>to shut down these cross-channels appears to go away.

This could account for the problem for sure. ViewMasters may not be
appropriate at really early ages but you can encourage depth perception
which is at least partially consciously controlled. Observation of the
phenomenon helps to build the separate pathways.
..............
>As to why the the brain should start with the cross-connections and then
>rewire them as the visual system is used, perhaps there's an evolutionary
>advantage - if something's wrong with one eye or part of the brain, it
>provides the best chance to provide the best possible visual processing
>with what's available.

****  Sounds good to me, or it could be something more random but consistent
such as the fact that in a new brain pathways are built by using them, and
so the differentiation doesn't happen unless they are somewhat stimulated.
You would think that most would experience stimulation of this sort, but
inner thought processes don't always connect in the same way. Perhaps
biological growth and genetic wiring play a significant role in these
differences as well as happenstance. The concept of *evolutionary advantage*
as the reason for anything is questionable because such things are only seen
in hindsight, never pre-cognitive control.

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


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