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On the other hand, we can all call to mind the case of…

“On the other hand, we can all call to mind the case of seeing the same thing many times over and over. Everyone has had the experience of having their impression of a particular object change depending upon their feelings or conditions at a given moment. This is because the object is seen under…” quote by Tagawa Shun'ei
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““On the other hand, we can all call to mind the case of seeing the same thing many times over and over. Everyone has had the experience of having their impression of a particular object change depending upon their feelings or conditions at a given moment. This is because the object is seen under the influence of the mental state of that moment. Of course, at the time when we are looking at something, we are generally not aware of the way our feelings are being protected into the situation. Seen in this way, our so-called cognition, or the action of discerning the meaning of things as they are perceived by us, is never in any case a perception of the external world exactly as it is, but rather a world that can only be apprehended via its interface with our present mental state. In other words, it is nothing other than our own mind that constructs things and determines their content. This is the meaning of "consciousness-only," or "nothing but the transformations of consciousness." And, if we turn this around, we ourselves are nothing other than things that dwell in a world defined by the limits of that which is knowable by the functions of our own mind.””

Tagawa Shun'ei

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Perception is filtered through current mental states; reality is co‑constructed by consciousness.

In simple terms: Mind shapes perception.

Key Takeaway

Recognize mental filters.

Themes

perception consciousness subjectivity

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • art critique
  • psychotherapy
  • decision making
  • scientific observation

Key Concepts

phenomenology cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do your emotions color your judgments?
  • Can you detach perception from feeling?
A Different Perspective

May lead to solipsism if taken to extremes.

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