what is the quote "seeing does not take place in the eyes"?

Answer 1

It refers to the fact that the eyes are simply a pathway for electrical impulses to reach the brain. The brain then converts these impulses into images. So, the eyes themselves do not see.

From the book 'Ever Thought About the Truth':

"Photons entering the eyes pass through a series of processes. They are converted to electric signals and in this form are conveyed to the brain. That is, what’s conveyed to the brain, is not photons coming from a perceived object, but electric signals produced as a reaction to the impact of photons on a layer of the vision organs called the eyes. In other words, the vision centre located in the brain does not process the original light rays but electrical copies of them. When we say, “I am seeing this object”, we don’t actually see that object. What we actually see are electrical signals representing that object in our brains. We see everything, including the entire universe, in our vision centre which measures only a couple of square inches.

If we need to interpret the knowledge we have so far, we can say that the ultimate seeing does not take place in the eyes but in the vision centre. That is, contrary to common knowledge, we do not see with our eyes but with the vision centre. Since no light enters the brain, the brain is always dark. If we verse to place a photocell, a device that measures light, in your vision centre, we should measure zero light at all times, even while you were directly looking at the sun. To sum up, the brain never sees the object itself but the electric signals that the object gives off."

Another take on the subject from:
http://www.statestreetchurch.org/sermearly6.htm
"It is because seeing does not take place in the eyes. The eyes are only lenses that send messages to the brain. Nor is the brain the place where seeing takes place, because all the brain does is categorize and identify the images the eye gathers. It is in the mind that seeing takes place, because it is the mind that interprets and places value on what is being seen.

Here’s an example. You look at this and your eye sees only the rectangular shape and the white, pink and orange shapes. Your brain is able to interpret those shapes as a box from Dunkin’ Donuts. But it is your mind that assigns value to this. If you are Homer Simpson, you go, "Ahh, donuts." If you are Kate Moss you say, "Eww, donuts." Right now you are all interpreting what you see here in a different way. You are seeing it differently. And some of you are wondering whether the box is full or empty. It’s full, and I’ll put it on the table for coffee hour. If you tell me what someone sees, I can tell you what they believe. If I really felt as I said I did about the children on my lawn, you would know a great deal about how I thought and felt."