Picturing 4-D Solids

Most recent answer: 10/16/2010

Q:
Will it be ever possible by the means of virtual reality to project the 4D perspective of a tesseract into someone's mind? The 3D model of a tesseract (the 2 nested cubes one) is as far from picturing a tesseract to a 3D being such as us that a drawing of a cube unto graph paper is far from picturing a cube to a 2D being such as a flatlander (he'll only see a bunch of lines). I've drawn countless tesseracts, watched animations of rotating tesseracts and even higher dimension objects, tried my best to project it correctly in 4D in my mind and every time I face the same problem : I'm stuck with a 3D way of viewing things. Thanks for your time, please free my mind!
- Anonymous
A:
I think we're all stuck the same way you are . The actual physical construction of our brains isn't suited for forming 4-D images. I can't think of any way around that. Whatever inputs you pick ultimately end up as some sort of internal representation in the brain.

Maybe if there were enough advances in neuroscience it would become possible to see what brain design would be able to picture 4-D objects. Then I guess in principle it would be possible to guide the evolution of some creature to that sort of brain. Even if that far-fetched idea were ever to pan out, it wouldn't put the 4-D picture in your head or mine.

Mike W.

(published on 10/16/2010)

Follow-Up #1: visualizing 4-D

Q:
Our brain isn't suited to picture 4-dimensional images? Since when? I can easily picture 4-dimensional images, I don't know why or how, but my brain can construct and understand dimensions relative to each other.
- Robert (age 21)
Tampa, Florida, USA
A:
Seriously? That's very cool.

You could do science a favor by finding some department that studies visualization and volunteering to help them investigate how your mind works. Maybe the neuroscience department at the U. of Florida would be interested.

Mike W.

(published on 04/06/2011)

Follow-Up #2: help visualizing 4-D

Q:
Even though our brains will never fully be able to prossess 4-D images could you try to interpert the visual affects for us 3-D sighted people.
- Ryan (age 13)
Canada
A:
I'll pass along your request.

Mike W.

(published on 06/05/2011)