Hermann von Helmholtz

Definition

Hermann von Helmholtz was a German physicist and physician who made significant contributions to understanding perception. He proposed the concept of unconscious inference, suggesting that perception is an active process where the brain fills in missing information based on past experiences and expectations.

Related terms

Unconscious Inference: Unconscious inference refers to the idea that our brain makes assumptions and fills in missing information based on prior knowledge and expectations.

Perception: Perception refers to the process by which we interpret sensory information from our environment using our senses such as vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.

Expectations: Expectations are preconceived notions or predictions about what we anticipate perceiving based on previous experiences or cultural influences.