Re: [Phys-l] images in eye

["Marc \"Zeke\" Kossover" <zeke_kossover@yahoo.com>]

From: Anthony Lapinski <Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 10:23:03 AM
> Many were surprised to learn
> that the images on their retina are also inverted. Our brains somehow make
> us see things normally. I figure it's complicated, but does anyone know
> the exact mechanism by which the brain "flips" these retinal images so
> that we see them as upright? Did evolution play any role in this?

The brain doesn't flip the image back over. There is no "inner you" that looks at the image made by the retina. 
 
Further the bundle of nerves in optic nerve don't maintain orientation as it takes the information to the brain. The brain just gets a muddle, but that's okay. The brain learns as you learn to see that a particular sets of sensory responses corresponds to particular things seen. This method is very flexible since it allows you to make sense of objects and events without having to have those objects built into your genome. On the other hand, it does mean that you need time to learn to make sense of these senory impressions, which can take years.
 
Marc "Zeke" Kossover
The Jewish Community High School of the Bay