August '23

There is good reason to come to this conclusion. In the retina, neurons, the basic building blocks of the cerebral network, are present in numbers only seen in the brain itself. The eye also generates some nervous impulses that we would instead expect to be escalated into the cranium.

Here, however, we arrive at the key counterargument against the hypothesis at hand: The brain appears to be relatively snugly situated in the well-known osseous enclosure on our necks. The eyes are clearly located outside. This counterargument can appear self-serving, though, since any visual stimuli would be much harder to capture from within one’s skull.

The potential viability of this thesis is impressive enough. It means that the eye is a truly unique organ which, in tandem with the brain, carries out a task so difficult that it is hard to determine where one ends and the other begins.

That is why next time you enjoy a colourful visual treat (whatever it may be), please attribute part of the accomplishment not only to the humble producers of your newest sock model but also to your visual apparatus, which allows you to perceive that beauty.