Minding the Gap: On Memory, Bias, and the Blind Spot (Virtual)

There is a point on the retina with no photoreceptors that scientists call a blind spot. When we look out into the world, there is no black hole because our brains fill in those gaps subconsciously. Sometimes our brains get it wrong, though. During this session, we’ll see how the process works physiologically. Then, we'll use what we've learned to better understand the ways that we fill in those gaps when we read literary texts, both fiction and nonfiction. Finally, we’ll explore our own blind spots and look at various scenarios to develop strategies for navigating them.