Over the years, the issue of whether human beings can trust their conscious awareness has generated numerous reactions. Some people believe that they can trust their senses to interpret data and get an accurate view of the world, while others believe they cannot (Amicus, 2011). Senses play a crucial role in developing a connection between the mind and the world through the interpretation of information.
Experts argue that senses have numerous strengths and weaknesses that influence the accuracy of sensory data and an individual’s thinking ability (Amicus, 2011). People often have the freedom to choose whether to trust their senses or not, depending on the truthfulness of the data interpreted by their minds. Human beings make decisions depending on the sensory information that their brains interpret accurately (Byrne, 2006).
Reasons to believe in physical senses
People use the five senses to understand their feelings, activities, and environmental components that are important to them. This happens due to a number of reasons. First, humans possess a sense of touch. When someone touches something cold, hot, rough, or smooth, the brain receives an instant message that it interprets in order to generate the appropriate reaction (Amicus, 2011). Second, humans possess a sense of smell.
Human beings have the ability to smell and distinguish between a bad and a good odor. For example, it is possible to tell if something is delicious by smelling it (Byrne, 2006). Third, humans possess the ability to see.
The optical ability of human beings plays a crucial role in helping them to understand their environment and the events that take place around them. The ability to see often yields more accurate information compared to the other senses (Byrne, 2006). For example, it is easy to tell if someone is walking or running by observing their movements.
Factors that influence the correctness of sensory data
There are three major factors that contribute to the correctness of sensory data. First, nutrition is an important factor. Food helps to give the body essential energy and nutrients that are crucial for the proper functioning of the senses. If the body is weak, the senses do not receive and interpret data accurately (Byrne, 2006). Second, there is sleep. According to experts, getting enough and quality sleep ensures that the body functions optimally. Lack of enough sleep affects crucial body functions, such as the ability to have a clear vision.
This eventually affects the reliability of sensory data (Byrne, 2006). Third, medication is another key factor. Someone taking drugs can experience blurred vision and poor sensitivity to environmental elements such as heat and smell (Amicus, 2011). Drugs and substance abuse affects the normal functioning of the body in numerous ways.
Role of memory in elucidation and assessment of sensory information
Memory plays a crucial role in helping people to capture, analyze, and retrieve information. The ability of senses to function effectively depends on the ability of memory to retain and recall past experiences (Byrne, 2006). Storage and retrieval of sensory information are very important because it aids in the process of making decisions. Experts argue that past experiences can influence the ability of an individual to trust the accuracy of sensory information delivered by the brain.
When a sensory cue is detected by the body, the brain holds the information captured for a short period before triggering a reaction (Byrne, 2006). One of the most effective ways of understanding the role played by memory in interpreting sensory information entails observing something for a while without moving (Byrne, 2006). Soon after stopping, one realizes that the image captured is maintained by the memory for a few seconds before it fades away.
References
Amicus, C. (2011). An Introduction to the Nature of things. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning.
Byrne, J. (2006). Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation. New York, NY: Springer Science and Business Media.