Sensation and perception are two key components to the human experience and help establish psychology of belief. Part 1 covered biological processes, the scientific definition of sensation, perception, and reality, and examples of such. This post will cover discoveries in modern medicine regarding psychology and factors influencing perception and sensation. In case you missed part 1, you can read it below.
Modern Medicine
Modern medicine has grown in knowledge regarding treatments of ailments. Although no “new” discoveries are made (since the body is not new, discoveries are based on knowledge or lack thereof), science has aided in understanding factors influencing perception and sensation through absolute threshold and difference threshold
A person’s absolute threshold is a method based on limitations of sensation that can be correctly detected 50% of the time (George et al, 2020, p. 104) due to understanding how the biological processes are supposed to be exhibited. Likewise, a person’s difference threshold is a method based on the smallest difference that is correctly detected 50% of the time (George et al, 2020, p. 104).
Both methods are influenced by nonsensory factors: motivation, attention, experience, fatigue, and expectation. Some examples of medical diagnosis that are based off the understanding of how biological processes are supposed to work are dementia, blindness, deafness, color blindness (either decease in abundance of rods and cones or complete absence), binocular vision impairment (lack of depth perception—resulted vision is the failing of the eyes working together either partially or fully), and schizophrenia (a condition characterized by the off-kilter balance of hormones). All these conditions alter reality, but they only alter the reality of the one diagnosed with them.
These diagnoses reflect the lack of balance in biological responses such as hormone instability and receptors that are influenced by neural activity. Other examples include biological aspects that are the result of spiritual struggles. These examples include anxiety, depression, and some cases of ulcers or boils, etc. Pain can occur in either the absence of stimuli or an overabundance of stimuli.
Understanding Reality
Understanding reality is twofold: recognizing biological aspects based on functionality and the deviation from this functionality and understanding the fallen state of humanity where sin causes spiritual strongholds seen in Isaiah 53.
Reality is built on the intricate nature of biological processes and spiritual life or death. Therefore, sensory stimuli are evidence for not only a perceived reality but also a reality that can be proven using scientific processes
Biblical Application
The Bible makes note of the above in Luke 11:33-36 using sensory appeal while also proving there is a spiritual aspect to reality:
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore, be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light” (English Standard Bible, 2001).
When a person enters death, neural processes last for up to five minutes before the brain realizes the body is dead and neural activity ceases yet a person is not able to respond to stimuli. Sole mention of biological processes alone is not sufficient evidence of the senses or reality.
For more articles like this one, please see the below publications:
Examining Ethical Approaches to Morality
The Myths Complex Part 1
The Myths Complex Part 2
Mirrored Touch
Biblical Social Justice
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