What is the name of that organ we use to see?
The brain, of course.
Admittedly, our eyes are critically important for interpreting light rays, at least for those who have eyes that work.
For those whose eyes don’t work, however, hope is on the way. Using a special device consisting of a camera and a sensor that transmits corresponding patterns of stimulation to the tongue, blind people can learn to see surprisingly well with their tongues. This video reminded me of Daniel Dennett’s description (I believe it was in Consciousness Explained [1]) of an earlier version of this same sort of device that consisted of a camera connected to a larger pad containing an array of stimulators that one wore on one’s abdomen. One could thus learn to “see” with one’s skin.
With a bit of thought, it is obvious that one primarily sees with the brain. Even for those with working eyes, light rays stop at the retina. Inside the brain, you certainly won’t find any tiny movie screen where they project shows with a tiny light bulb.
Anyway, here’s the video. Such a testament to the plasticity of the brain and a reminder that we ultimately see with our brains, regardless of how those light rays are initially encountered.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKd56D2mvN0[/youtube]
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