I Had a Funny Thought

DreadFish · Jun 5, 2014

So, as the title suggests, I had a funny thought while I was reading someone's post in the monism section

I really had no idea where to put this, so I put it here.

The thought occurred to me that, if there was a way that we could look straight forward and our vision could follow the curvature of the earth, we could look at ourselves as if we were an external object. Isn't that the case?

I promise i'm not high or anything, just tired from waking up early

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I thought that this might be a thought worth bringing up for interesting conversation, but I might be wrong.

Debater Slayer · Jun 5, 2014

This reminds me of a theory I heard about a while back: "If you run circles around a tree at the speed of light, you can theoretically catch a glimpse of your own ***."

Daemon Sophic · Jun 5, 2014

Uh...:sarcastic....wouldn't a mirror give you the same effect.....you know, without having to distort the laws of physics.

But if you must do it the hard way, then perhaps if you somehow hovered just along the event horizon of a black hole, you could look along the circumference of said event horizon, and see your own backside. :shrug:

Sha'irullah · Jun 5, 2014

So essentially you want the super power to gaze at your own butt? :thud: Professor Xavier would feel so proud of you

HonestJoe · Jun 6, 2014

DreadFish said:
The thought occurred to me that, if there was a way that we could look straight forward and our vision could follow the curvature of the earth, we could look at ourselves as if we were an external object. Isn't that the case?

I guess, and you could achieve the same with mirrors or a video camera and monitor. I'm not sure what the relevance is though. Beyond being able to see parts of yourself it's difficult/impossible to do directly, how is it any different to looking at your out-stretched hand?

DreadFish · Jun 6, 2014

Well It's different than a mirror in that you would be looking at yourself directly as if you were a separate person.

I dunno, it was just the unusual-ness of the idea that struck me.

The event horizon thing is about the only way this could make sense, because you'd have to bend space in order to have your natural line of sight land on yourself.

Wirey · Jun 9, 2014

DreadFish said:
Well It's different than a mirror in that you would be looking at yourself directly as if you were a separate person.

I dunno, it was just the unusual-ness of the idea that struck me.

The event horizon thing is about the only way this could make sense, because you'd have to bend space in order to have your natural line of sight land on yourself.

Yes, a mirror is a reflection of you. You're talking about seeing yourself as an external object.

DreadFish · Jun 9, 2014

Wirey said:
Yes, a mirror is a reflection of you. You're talking about seeing yourself as an external object.

Exactly. It would be totally different than a reflection. If you really think about it, it kinda messes with your sense of having a localized identity.

Wirey · Jun 10, 2014

DreadFish said:
Exactly. It would be totally different than a reflection. If you really think about it, it kinda messes with your sense of having a localized identity.

I thought of this thread this morning. I watched a lady pushing a cart full of food into a kitchen. From my vantage point, I could see that, as she turned the corner she was going to flatten her coworker coming the other way, but that preview was not available from their perspective.

I probably could have said "Look out!" or something, but who am I to interfere with the workings of the cosmos? I hope he got a good doctor.

YmirGF · Jun 10, 2014

DreadFish said:
Exactly. It would be totally different than a reflection. If you really think about it, it kinda messes with your sense of having a localized identity.

Now you know part of the problem explaining multidimensional existence. Get used to it.

Wirey · Jun 10, 2014

YmirGF said:
Now you know part of the problem explaining multidimensional existence. Get used to it.

Make me!

Revoltingest · Jun 10, 2014

Vision can trick us. If you look down from the top of a tall building, & see your uncle, he would look like an ant.

Wirey · Jun 10, 2014

Revoltingest said:
Vision can trick us. If you look down from the top of a tall building, & see your uncle, he would look like an ant.

Boo! Hiss!

Revoltingest · Jun 10, 2014

Another optical illusion (created by Wirey):

YmirGF · Jun 10, 2014

Wirey said:
Make me!

Pffft. You are always on the make. *sigh*

DreadFish · Jun 10, 2014

YmirGF said:
Now you know part of the problem explaining multidimensional existence. Get used to it.

It's certainly a lot more interesting

Heck, just the idea of being singular and local is starting to make less and less sense.

Reptillian · Jun 10, 2014

DreadFish said:
So, as the title suggests, I had a funny thought while I was reading someone's post in the monism section I really had no idea where to put this, so I put it here.

The thought occurred to me that, if there was a way that we could look straight forward and our vision could follow the curvature of the earth, we could look at ourselves as if we were an external object. Isn't that the case?

I promise i'm not high or anything, just tired from waking up early .
I thought that this might be a thought worth bringing up for interesting conversation, but I might be wrong.

If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, then we'd all have a merry Christmas... I've heard Chuck Norris can run so fast that he can punch himself in the back of the head two Thursdays ago.

DreadFish · Jun 10, 2014

Revoltingest said:
Another optical illusion (created by Wirey):

You know this isn't actually an optical illusion, right?

It's bogus, I looked at it for a whole minute and there's obviously no forest in the background.

Reptillian said:
If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, then we'd all have a merry Christmas... I've heard Chuck Norris can run so fast that he can punch himself in the back of the head two Thursdays ago.

Well, all people have butts and almost half of them have nuts, so we're about halfway there

Reptillian · Jun 10, 2014

DreadFish said:
Well, all people have butts and almost half of them have nuts, so we're about halfway there

Sure people have butts and nuts, but what does that leave me with? An abundance of 'ifs'? What am I supposed to do with those?

DreadFish · Jun 10, 2014

Reptillian said:
Sure people have butts and nuts, but what does that leave me with? An abundance of 'ifs'? What am I supposed to do with those?

Amuse yourself with numerous possibilities and scenarios.

I Had a Funny Thought

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