BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//Grails iCalendar plugin//NONSGML Grails iCalendar plugin//EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260605T135457Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20190423T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20190423T090000 SUMMARY:Cognition Does Not Affect Perception UID:20260608T163617Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-bd7db559-gt5qm TZID:America/Chicago LOCATION:1117 Cathedral of Learning\, University of Pittsburgh\, Pittsburgh\, United States\, 15260 DESCRIPTION:

Abstract: What determines what we see? A tidal wave of recent research alleges that visual experience is 'penetrated' by higher-level cognitive states such as beliefs\, desires\, emotions\, intentions\, and linguistic abilities. There is a growing consensus that such effects are ubiquitous\, and even that the distinction between seeing and thinking may itself be unsustainable. I argue otherwise: There is in fact no compelling evidence for such top-down effects of cognition on perception\, or &ldquo\;cognitive penetrability&rdquo\;. I will present several case studies of empirically anchored 'pitfalls' that recast such evidence\, in each case showing how alleged top-down effects on perception not only can be explained by alternative factors\, but in fact are explained by such factors. The discovery of substantive top-down effects of cognition on perception remains a revolutionary possibility for our understanding of how the mind is organized\; but without addressing these pitfalls\, no empirical report will license such exciting conclusions.

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