We certainly perceive things in 3 dimensions. Part of this is visual clues (size of objects, haziness of objects, which objects block other objects, where the objects come into focus) our brain uses even when looking at 2 dimensional images, but part of it is truly 3 dimensional vision, at least at close distances. Having 2 eyes allows us to see an object from two different angles, giving us a fix on where it is in three dimensional space. If you have 3 objects, and know the positions of two of them (your eyes) and all the angles involved, you can pinpoint the third object.
At longer distances, we are basically seeing in two dimensions and interpreting into 3, as the changes in the angles become smaller and smaller.
collections.ic.gc.ca This was written for kids, but it does explain neatly the various clues the brain uses to process 2D information into 3D interpretations.
(I came across this when looking up 'optical illusion'. It isn't connected to the 2D/3D question, but it's kinda cool.)
And going through life with one eye like me means that over time you have to be good at guessing where objects are; that means it's a pain in the *** trying to parallel park and catching fly balls, among other things.
Posts: 3476 | Location: Colfax, WA--the home of the world's largest chain-saw sculpture!! | Registered: 06-03-02
Methos, I agree completely with you except where you say that at close distance, we truly see 3d. I think that we are using two eyes that only have 2d capability each, and the brain interprets it into 3d.
If you want to think of it that way, we might as well say we 'see' in one dimension, but our brain interprets all the individual information from our rods and cones to make a three-dimensional image. I would still describe this as three-dimensional vision.
