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Do we see reality as it is?

4,953,029 views |

Donald Hoffman |

TED2015

• March 2015

Cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman is trying to answer a big question: Do we experience the world as it really is ... or as we need it to be? In this ever so slightly mind-blowing talk, he ponders how our minds construct reality for us.

Cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman is trying to answer a big question: Do we experience the world as it really is ... or as we need it to be? In this ever so slightly mind-blowing talk, he ponders how our minds construct reality for us.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Donald Hoffman

Cognitive scientist

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Donald Hoffman studies how our visual perception, guided by millions of years of natural selection, authors every aspect of our everyday reality.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.