ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Phenomenology of Perception

Okay kiddo, today we're going to talk about something called "phenomenology of perception". Phenomenology is a big word that means studying what things look like or feel like to us. Perception means how we see or experience things around us. So the phenomenology of perception is all about how we experience things around us.

You know when you look at a flower and it looks pretty to you? That's your perception of the flower. Now, sometimes two people can look at the same flower but have different perceptions of it. Someone might think it's a beautiful pink color, while another person might think it's an ugly color. That's because everyone has their own experiences and ways of seeing things.

Now, phenomenology of perception is all about understanding how our brain works to create our perceptions. Our brain has many different parts that work together to create our perception of things. These parts take all the information our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin give them and turn it into what we feel or see. For example, you might feel hot when you touch something hot because your nerves in your skin send a message to your brain that it's hot, and your brain tells you that you feel heat.

So, the phenomenology of perception is all about understanding how our brain works and how it creates our perceptions of the world around us. It's pretty cool, huh?