Building Reality: Sensation to Representation

Your brain builds your entire reality in three simple steps. First,

you get sensations. Think of them as raw data – the color red, a smooth texture,

a sweet smell. Just single, simple signals. Next, your brain combines

these into a perception. You’re no longer just sensing “red” and “round,” you’re perceiving a whole

apple, but only while it’s right in front of you. The real magic is

representation. Now, close your eyes and picture that apple.

That image in your head, without the object being there, is a representation.

It’s a mental blueprint that lets you think about things, paving the way from simply seeing to