J. Kevin O'Regan
Encyclopedia
John Kevin O'Regan is director of the "Laboratoire de Psychologie de la Perception" at the Université René Descartes, Paris 5 (CNRS). He was the last director of the "Laboratoire de Psychologie Expérimentale" (Laboratory of Experimental Psychology) before its dissolution in 2006.
After studying theoretical physics at Sussex and Cambridge
Universities, he moved to Paris in 1975 to work in experimental psychology
at the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).
Following his Ph. D. on eye movements in reading he showed the existence of an optimal position for the eye to fixate in images and words. His interest in the problem of the perceived stability of the visual world led him to question established notions of the nature of visual perception
, and to discover, with collaborators, the phenomenon of change blindness
.
His current work, described in his book Why Red Doesn't Sound Like a Bell: Explaining the Feel of Consciousness (2011), involves exploring the empirical consequences of a new sensorimotor approach to vision and sensation in general. He is particularly interested in the problem of the nature of phenomenal consciousness, which he addresses experimentally in relation to sensory substitution
, and theoretically in relation to color perception. He is interested in applying this work to robotics
.
His work about phenomenal states exemplifying conscious conception of themselves has been used within R.A.Wilson externalist framework to ongoing research and debate within the study of consciousness (Boundaries of the Mind: The Individual in the Fragile Sciences
, ISBN 978-0521544948, introducing the clunky acronym TESEE: Temporally Extended, Scaffolded, and Embodied and Embedded).
After studying theoretical physics at Sussex and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
Universities, he moved to Paris in 1975 to work in experimental psychology
Experimental psychology
Experimental psychology is a methodological approach, rather than a subject, and encompasses varied fields within psychology. Experimental psychologists have traditionally conducted research, published articles, and taught classes on neuroscience, developmental psychology, sensation, perception,...
at the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).
Following his Ph. D. on eye movements in reading he showed the existence of an optimal position for the eye to fixate in images and words. His interest in the problem of the perceived stability of the visual world led him to question established notions of the nature of visual perception
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
, and to discover, with collaborators, the phenomenon of change blindness
Change blindness
In visual perception, change blindness is a normal phenomenon of the brain which show in light that the brain does not have a precise representation of the world but a lacunar one, made of partial details...
.
His current work, described in his book Why Red Doesn't Sound Like a Bell: Explaining the Feel of Consciousness (2011), involves exploring the empirical consequences of a new sensorimotor approach to vision and sensation in general. He is particularly interested in the problem of the nature of phenomenal consciousness, which he addresses experimentally in relation to sensory substitution
Sensory substitution
Sensory substitution means to transform the characteristics of one sensory modality into stimuli of another sensory modality. It is hoped that sensory substitution systems can help handicapped people by restoring their ability to perceive a certain defective sensory modality by using sensory...
, and theoretically in relation to color perception. He is interested in applying this work to robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
.
His work about phenomenal states exemplifying conscious conception of themselves has been used within R.A.Wilson externalist framework to ongoing research and debate within the study of consciousness (Boundaries of the Mind: The Individual in the Fragile Sciences
Boundaries of the Mind: The Individual in the Fragile Sciences
Boundaries of the Mind is a thorough treatment of the role and conceptualization of the individual in psychology, by author Robert A. Wilson, a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Alberta.-Structure:...
, ISBN 978-0521544948, introducing the clunky acronym TESEE: Temporally Extended, Scaffolded, and Embodied and Embedded).