How come I can think of an image and "see" it while simultaneously seeing what I'm looking at in front of me?

Question

How can I see both of these things at the same time?

Answer 1

I would challenge how well you are able to "see" both at the same time - typically when someone imagines an object, sees it "in their mind's eye", their ability to focus on a real object decreases. When you really *visualize* an object, the "real" object you're looking at fades to something like peripheral vision. Yes, you can switch back and forth between the two so it may seem like you can look at both simultaneously.

On the other hand, imagining a concept of something is very different from visualizing something, and you *could* obviously think about something else while focusing on one object (real or imaginary).. It's quite fascinating though, when you "visualize" an object in your mind, it excites the same region of your brain as when you actually are looking at something.

Answer 2

The mind is an amazing organ/mechanism.
It stores images in little electrical bits and when you think of that image the memory acitivates the image so that you can recall it. You are merely recalling something you have already seen. The human mind can work on many levels at once. You are just beginning to unlock its potential.
Neat isn't it????

Answer 3

Isn't that crazy? I suppose it comes from the fact that we can hold 7 images or thoughts in our mind at once.

Answer 4

your brain is capable of multi-tasking. your eyes are sending visual signals while your memory is producing images as well.