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Your mirror image. Is it really you?

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.
No it is not the real "you" you looking at in a mirror. You are not the body nor the reflection of the body.
 
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lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.

So if I stand a little further back from the mirror, I'll literally look younger!? Holy crap, you're a genius.
*considers installing a mirror 8000km away, and using binoculars to get ready each morning*
 

John53

I go leaps and bounds
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.

Definitely not, I'm not that ugly.
 

The Hammer

[REDACTED]
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.

Light moves pretty damn fast. It's not that old of an image. Look at something in your hand. Hold it up to the mirror,.so the objects match? Then you are you in the mirror.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
Light moves pretty damn fast. It's not that old of an image. Look at something in your hand. Hold it up to the mirror,.so the objects match? Then you are you in the mirror.
What happens when the image in the mirror don't do as the human do o_O has the image in the mirror become an other being then :confused:
 

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
So if I stand a little further back from the mirror, I'll literally look younger!? Holy crap, you're a genius.
*considers installing a mirror 8000km away, and using binoculars to get ready each morning*

Haha. While that may not happen, if you ever feel the need to look skinnier when taking a selfie, position the camera a little higher. On the other hand, the low angle can be bad for some people, especially ones with a little bit extra going on in the chin section, lol.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.
You will love the Devils toy box. *grin*
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.
I solve that problem by using new & improved turbo
charged photons. They're 3 times faster, & leave a
fresh minty scent.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.
Even worse, we know a mirror image does NOT look like us, as it is reversed left to right, compared to how we really look. To see how we really look, one needs a camera. So the parting of our hair is on the wrong side, the mole is on the wrong cheek, the writing on our sweatshirt is back to front and so forth.

Technically a mirror image is a laterally inverted image, which I was once taught is called a "perverted" image - though that term seem no longer used, perhaps for obvious reasons.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

No. It is a reflected image. You are not left-right symmetric.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.

The light travel time is in nanoseconds. The time it takes for neurons to fire is in microseconds to milliseconds. it takes *far* longer for the brain to process the information once the light hits the retina than it does for the light to get from you to the mirror and back to your eyes.

In that sense, your sense of self is *always* in the past. By some experiments, but up to significant fractions of second (100-200 milliseconds). Don't blame the light in this case.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
How do we know that a mirror image is really what we look like? We cannot look at ourselves to verify it.

Not only that, but since it takes time for light from the mirror to reach our eyes, the image we see is from the past.

I think my reflection in a mirror is close enough so that i don't worry about it.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Even worse, we know a mirror image does NOT look like us, as it is reversed left to right, compared to how we really look. To see how we really look, one needs a camera. So the parting of our hair is on the wrong side, the mole is on the wrong cheek, the writing on our sweatshirt is back to front and so forth.

Technically a mirror image is a laterally inverted image, which I was once taught is called a "perverted" image - though that term seem no longer used, perhaps for obvious reasons.
Write CHOICE QUALITY on a piece of paper and hold that to a mirror.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
I feel some mirrors have minor differences as well.

But, if I look at my son, and then I look at my son in a mirror, he looks the same in both, so I assume it works somewhat similar for myself.
Perhaps we can only see what others look like and not what we look like.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
No it is not the real "you" you looking at in a mirror. You are not the body nor the reflection of the body.
I agree. The image is not the person, but is our image really what we look like. Perhaps we don't look like that at all. We have no way to know with certainty. Maybe the image is only a distortion of our real appearance. Maybe it looks nothing like what we see.
 

Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
So if I stand a little further back from the mirror, I'll literally look younger!? Holy crap, you're a genius.
*considers installing a mirror 8000km away, and using binoculars to get ready each morning*
I am. I have seen the papers that say that anyway. I might be that intelligent, but I am not that smart.

Yes, indeed. Even if the image is not truly how we look, it is certainly younger and growing younger foot. But the image is like a boat downstream of us. It may remain where it is in relation to our position and distance, but we are both traveling in the same direction.
 
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