Final answer:
The brain relies on a complex interplay of sensory processing, past experiences, and adaptation to understand visual input, rather than passively recording images like a camera. Adaptation, such as demonstrated in experiments with prism glasses, and processing such as color constancy, showcases the brain's complex interpretation mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To effectively rely on experience for the brain to understand what the eye is seeing, the brain must engage in a complex set of inferences and processes that go beyond simply capturing an image. During visual perception, the brain does not passively record what the eyes see as if taking a mental picture. Rather, it actively constructs an interpretation of the visual stimuli based on past experiences, contextual cues, and the processing of sensory information.
For example, when observing optical illusions like a checkerboard with potentially non-parallel lines, the brain must gather visual cues from the environment to determine if the lines are truly parallel. This includes signal processing within the eye itself, where comparisons are made between adjacent light receptors and the brain is sensitive to edges and contrasts, as well as higher-level processing to understand context and three-dimensional space.
In addition, adaptation is crucial where experience has shaped the brain's expectations and interpretations of sensory input. Experiments, such as those where subjects wore prism glasses that inverted their visual field, showed that over time the brain adapted to this new input and began to interpret the world correctly. This indicates the flexibility of the visual cortex in making sense of the information received from the eyes. Likewise, the fact that color constancy relies on comparisons between adjacent light receptors before the information is sent to the brain illustrates that visual perception is not a straightforward process, but rather a complex interplay between the eyes and the brain that relies heavily on previous experiences and neurological adaptations.
Lastly, vision does not present a complete picture of the world. It is a 'sketch' influenced by what is relevant for survival; we unconsciously adjust the images we perceive based on this criteria. Acknowledging that our senses may not always provide a faithful representation of reality is key to critical thinking and understanding the limitations of visual perception.