Fact and fable in psychology . Fig. 5. — When this figure is viewed as a black pattern on a white back*ground, the four main vertical black bands seem far from parallel; whenit is viewed as a white pattern on a black background the pattern is differ^ent and the illusion disappears (or nearly so), and the four black bands aswell as the tive white ones seem more nearly parallel. reproduced in Fig. 6. In this case the enchantmentof distance is necessary to produce the at the usual reading distance, we see nothingbut an irregular and meaningless assemblage of blackand white b
Fact and fable in psychology . Fig. 5. — When this figure is viewed as a black pattern on a white back*ground, the four main vertical black bands seem far from parallel; whenit is viewed as a white pattern on a black background the pattern is differ^ent and the illusion disappears (or nearly so), and the four black bands aswell as the tive white ones seem more nearly parallel. reproduced in Fig. 6. In this case the enchantmentof distance is necessary to produce the at the usual reading distance, we see nothingbut an irregular and meaningless assemblage of blackand white blotches. At a distance of not less thanfifteen to eighteen feet, however, a mans head appears THE MINDS EYE 285 quite clearly. Also observe that after the head hasonce been realized it becomes possible to obtain sug-gestions of it at nearer distances. A much larger class of ambiguous diagrams consistsof those which represent by simple outlines familiar. Fig. 6. — This is a highly enlarged reproduction taken from a half-toneprocess print of Lord Kelvin. It appeared in the Photographic Times. geometrical forms or objects. We cultivate such a useof our eyes, as indeed of all our faculties, as will onthe whole lead to the most profitable results. As arule, the particular impression is not so important aswhat it represents. Sense-impressions are simply thesymbols or signs of things or ideas, and the thing orthe idea is more important than the sign. Accord-ingly, we are accustomed to interpret lines, whenever 286 FACT AND FABLE IN PSYCHOLOGY we can, as the representations of objects. We arewell aware that the canvas or the etching or the photo-graph before us is a flat surface in two dimensions,
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