Posted October 23rd, 2009 by VTHron
in

In movies, we see an actor prosecutor cross-examining an actor witness:
Prosecutor: Did you see the man who killed the victim?
Witness: Yes.
Prosecutor: Did you see his face?
Witness: Yes
Prosecutor: How far was he from where you were standing?
Witness: Around three yards.
Prosecutor: How's your eyesight?
Witness: 20/20

Do you think we can trust what this witness thought he saw? How about you? Do you trust what you see?

Let's check.

See the picture below? Do you know this person?

 
 marilyneinstein

Marilyn Einstein Image credit: Hybrid Images @ MIT

Now, get up and move away from your PC monitor and look at the picture from a distance. Is this the same person you saw earlier?

 

Just in case.... here's the same photo shrunk to 20% (or as seen from afar).

 marilyn

 

Now, here's another one...

frowning

 Image credit: Hybrid Images @ MIT

 

Mr. Prosecutor asks you a question: "Is the man on the left frowning?" If you answered "yes," the jury who are seated just about four steps farther from the images would surely say you're either a liar, or something is wrong with the way you see things.

 

If you want to see what the jury is seeing, stand up and move back a couple of steps. Is the frowning man still on your right?

 

Now, do you still trust your eyes?

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