How do blind people imagine things?

Question

By blind I am only referring to people who are blind from birth.

How do they imagine things? What do they dream? They sure have no idea about colours and other things. I always wonder how they visualize things?

They don't know what it is like to see.

Answer 1

Hi Maddy, I am taking a few moments this morning to reduce stress, pre-wedding jitters, not really nerves, just the usual worries of everything going correctly, as planned. lol

So, here I am anwering one of your great questions! ;-) I too have often mused on how the blind or others who have lost a sense, manage to do things, normal everyday things those who have all five senses take for granted on a daily basis. I have mused on what it would be like to be blind. You see, one of my daughters had a knife put out her left eye when she was six. It was a horrific experiance for her and also her father and I. While she has not been completely blind sense birth, we have always been very worried, and sensitive of the worry she may lose sight in her one remaining eye. She was able to 'keep' her damaged eye, but she is basically 90% blind, only able to see shadows and blurred color in it. So, you can imagine this is something I have thought about a great deal.

I read the answers you received when I first clicked here. Bonacua B is as close to an honest interpretation, or considered response than any other. Now, imagination does not require sight. They 'way' they imagine things will be different than those with sight, but they still will have dreams and imagination. Blind folks are as capable of those with sight of being able to be imaginative, innovative, creative and otherwise intuitive. They are in a unique position to provide an alternate view, which can be very impressive. When we are in a 'think tank' it is of best interest to implement as diverse a group as possible. When we keep the group diverse we are able to obtain a uniquely cohesive thought process which can produce great innovative and creative 'out of the box' thinking. This will enable the group to come up with a tremendously increased measure of ideas and concepts. When we place a group of non diverse members into a position of requiring innovative and creative ideas, they are limited to only simular processes as they all have the same abilities and therefor are limited.

The blind may not be able to see 'color' but color has more than a visual affect. Color is uniquely viewed by each individual with sight. Men and women see colors differently. There are scientific studies which demonstrate these differences between the sexes when it comes to seeing color. The blind are able to imagine colors by using verbal stimuli to create a visual concept. Colors also create emotions, blue is calming, red is stimulating, yellow is comforting, black can be either rage, or blankness, grey is dismal, etc. By utilizing all the elements of color the blind are able to concepulize these and form their own unique 'vision' of color.

Emotions are very strong elements, and they are created from many differing sourses. When we are able to utilize all of our resourses we are then able to acheive our highest potentials. The blind are not any different in this as those who see.

Those who are born blind do NOT increase other senses to 'compensate' for the lost sense. Studies have shown that the other senses which are seeminly increased, are available for the sighted to acheive those inhanced heighths. We ALL have the capasity to use our senses to a maximine capasite, the same as the blind, we just don't do it. When we are trained to use our senses to the highest levels we are able to acheive seeminly spiritual elements within our abilities to minipulate them. Most people just do not work on increasing their senses to the degree of their full capasity. The blind are trained to do so. So, it is not an ability to obtain any higher degree of use in remaining senses, above the ability of any seeing person, it is just they work at acheiving these 'high' degree of developed senses.

I firmly believe the born blind are as able as any other to imagine and dream. The way this is manifested may be different, of course it is different, but we are all individuals with very individuala gifts, streangths, skills, intelligence, etc, so we all dream and imagine differently, in unique ways, seperate from all others.

It is rather like finger prints, we all have them but they are all different. Imagination, and dreams are just the same, we all have them, but they are all unique to each individual and therefor no two are alike. So, there is no reason to assume those who are born blind lack in any way anything that those who see posses. Sure they are unable to view colors, and objects in the world as those who 'see' do, but they have their own unique manner of acheiving the same results. The uniqueness of this creates a great deal of diversity and we need to embrase this and accept each other for the unique person we all are.

I do worry about my daughter losing her ability to 'see'. I am concerned over her not being able to view her children's faces, or see the joy in those faces. That is the major concern I have for those who are unable to 'see'. Sure they are able to acheive knowlege of emotion, but that first expression that is without words, is priceless in my opinion. That is the loss that I view the born blind as missing out on. The expressions of emotion before any words exist to demonstrate them.

So, I honestly believe the blind are not being denied the ability to dream of have a constructive and fullilling imagination, but rather have the capacity to view things in a very unique way. It is only the expressions people have when feeling emotion, prior to any vocal expression, which I feel is missed by the blind. I find that sad. However, it is not something one should pity the blind over, as they are fully capable of a vibrant and imaginative life as any other.

Again Maddy, you ask some really unique questions which are very thought provoking and deep layered. These are idea which we all should give our consideration and put some efforts into understanding. I am concerned over how humans tend to view those who are in any way 'different' from them in negitive manners and at the least pull away from them and at worst harm them. Have a great day Maddy, and a wonderful week coming up! Blessed Be.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I imagine that they cannot without touching the person, item, animal or whatever it is they will imagine. Just as we ALL have brains and imagine things they have their way. of course I could not tell you exactly because I have not been in that situation. Probably by touch and for someone else describing the item and showing it to them.

Answer 4

The blind can dream and usually very well. People blind at birth do not see textures or shapes , but feel and hear it more. People who are born with sight and lose it later can see in a dream, but the longer they remain blind the ability to see fades.

Answer 5

Dimensions can be garnered from touch, so shapes can be imagined, but not having any frame of reference probably means it's impossible for a blind person to imagine colors.

Dreams do not require sight. You can dream about sounds, emotions and tactile sensations without being able to see.

As for how they "visualize" things, they can't. You need vision to "visualize."

Answer 6

loosing a sense makes the others stronger. you might have seen a blind person touching a face to see the features. that's how they read braille too. :)
nice Q

Answer 7

There are numerous people who would laugh at the possibility of changing their destinies. This is due to the fact that it believes that nobody gets more that exactly what is written in his destiny.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Probably a kind of world with colors and shapes.

Answer 10

They imagine seeing eye dogs...