Does evolution favor true perceptions?

Donald D. Hoffman, Manish Singh, Justin Mark

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Does natural selection favor veridical perceptions, those that more accurately depict the objective environment? Vision researchers often claim that it does. But this claim, though influential, has not been adequately tested. In this paper we formalize the claim and a few alternatives. We then discuss the results of evolutionary games and genetic algorithms that indicate that veridical perceptions can be driven to extinction by non-veridical strategies that are tuned to fitness rather than to objective reality. This suggests that natural selection need not favor veridical perceptions, and that the effects of natural selection on perception deserve further study. We then address the question: How can an organism act effectively in an environment that it does not perceive veridically? (Acknowledgement: Brian Marion and Kyle Stevens are collaborators in this research.).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of SPIE-IS and T Electronic Imaging - Human Vision and Electronic Imaging XVIII
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
EventConference on Human Vision and Electronic Imaging, HVEI 2013 - Burlingame, CA, United States
Duration: Feb 4 2013Feb 7 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8651
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherConference on Human Vision and Electronic Imaging, HVEI 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBurlingame, CA
Period2/4/132/7/13

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

  • Bayesian inference
  • Evolutionary games
  • Genetic algorithms
  • Natural selection
  • Perception

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