
Contents
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The Concept of Illusion The Concept of Illusion
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Veridical and Illusory Perception Veridical and Illusory Perception
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The “Stimulus” The “Stimulus”
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Optic Arrays and Retinal Images Optic Arrays and Retinal Images
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The “Proximal Stimulus” as the Truth or Yardstick The “Proximal Stimulus” as the Truth or Yardstick
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The “Distal Stimulus” as the Truth or Yardstick The “Distal Stimulus” as the Truth or Yardstick
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The Ames Room The Ames Room
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Stereoscopes Stereoscopes
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Structure-From-Motion Transformations Structure-From-Motion Transformations
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Impossible Motion: Magnet-Like Slopes Impossible Motion: Magnet-Like Slopes
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When Is an Illusion Not an Illusion? When It Is a Facsimile When Is an Illusion Not an Illusion? When It Is a Facsimile
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Information Rather Than the Distal Stimulus Information Rather Than the Distal Stimulus
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Information and the Concept of Illusion Information and the Concept of Illusion
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Test Cases for the Concept of Illusion: Simultaneous and Successive Assimilation and Contrast Effects Test Cases for the Concept of Illusion: Simultaneous and Successive Assimilation and Contrast Effects
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Simultaneous Assimilation Effects Simultaneous Assimilation Effects
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Simultaneous Contrast Effects Simultaneous Contrast Effects
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Successive Assimilation Effects Successive Assimilation Effects
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Successive Contrast Effects Successive Contrast Effects
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Alternative Explanations for Other Familiar Illusions Alternative Explanations for Other Familiar Illusions
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Filling-In Filling-In
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Hollow Masks Hollow Masks
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Reverspectives Reverspectives
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The Ponzo Illusion The Ponzo Illusion
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Sensory-Motor Adaptation Sensory-Motor Adaptation
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Conclusions Conclusions
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Acknowledgments Acknowledgments
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Notes Notes
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References References
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10 Where Have All the Illusions Gone? A Critique of the Concept of Illusion
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Published:June 2017
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Abstract
It might sound perverse to question the concept of illusion in a book titled The Compendium of Visual Illusions—not least because the idea of illusions and illusory perception has been around for at least two millennia—but that is the purpose of this chapter. Put simply, this chapter argues the case that there is no satisfactory way of distinguishing between “veridical” and “illusory” perception and hence we are forced to regard either all of our perceptions as illusory or none of them. The two main questions addressed are: How should we identify what is the objective reality or truth from which our illusory perception is discrepant? And is there a satisfactory definition of an illusion that allows us to distinguish between those aspects of perception that are illusory and those that are veridical?
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