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Wow, this confuses the hell out of me and I will have to think about it. I describe my self as definitely not having aphantasia because...basically I can do wha

by vcxy 5y ago

Wow, this confuses the hell out of me and I will have to think about it. I describe my self as definitely not having aphantasia because...basically I can do what you describe. I can also visualize real things to a degree, but it's kind of like when you see something in the corner of your eye, the brain has some visual info that makes it to your experience, but it isn't super legible. I can visualize pretty much whatever to that extent. But it is the other stuff, what you were describing, that made me totally sure I couldn't possibly have aphantasia. That's the visualizing I'm actually really good at. Edit: Also, what is the difference between mentally seeing something and having the feeling of having mentally seen it? How are these not the same thing?

1_player 5y ago
> what is the difference between mentally seeing something and having the feeling of having mentally seen it? The same difference between seeing an apple with your own eyes right in front of you, and the memory of having seen an apple. In the first case, the apple has a specific colour, shape, size. In the second case, it's just the idea of an apple. Many people can conjure vivid imagery as if seeing the object right in front of them, or at least so I understand. I can't. Sorry if I can't explain it better, our own minds are so unique it's not easy to explain concepts like these with words. I have written and deleted this comment half a dozen times, I can't do better than this.
- vcxy 5y ago
  I think I see what you mean after some thought. For me, "the memory of having seen an apple" includes imagery. I had thought the memory actually was the imagery, but thinking about it I decided that's not entirely true, but it is mostly true for me. Thinking about how I remember conversation is a metaphor that worked for me to get what you're saying. I often remember the voices and inflections and everything, but after some time, especially with less important conversation, I might remember the conversation having happened but only remember a kind of summary without the vocal/auditory details.

by vcxy 5y ago

1_player 5y ago

> what is the difference between mentally seeing something and having the feeling of having mentally seen it? The same difference between seeing an apple with your own eyes right in front of you, and the memory of having seen an apple. In the first case, the apple has a specific colour, shape, size. In the second case, it's just the idea of an apple. Many people can conjure vivid imagery as if seeing the object right in front of them, or at least so I understand. I can't. Sorry if I can't explain it better, our own minds are so unique it's not easy to explain concepts like these with words. I have written and deleted this comment half a dozen times, I can't do better than this.

vcxy 5y ago
I think I see what you mean after some thought. For me, "the memory of having seen an apple" includes imagery. I had thought the memory actually was the imagery, but thinking about it I decided that's not entirely true, but it is mostly true for me. Thinking about how I remember conversation is a metaphor that worked for me to get what you're saying. I often remember the voices and inflections and everything, but after some time, especially with less important conversation, I might remember the conversation having happened but only remember a kind of summary without the vocal/auditory details.