• andz@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    What does not being able to see inner images have to do with math?

    I’m asking because I can’t see shit but I have no problems with doing math up to a certain point. Not in any way good at it but it doesn’t impair my memory to the point it would be a hindrance either.

    • Lazylazycat@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Because you can’t hold two numbers in your mind simultaneously, or imagine one adding to another and the result of that. It’s probably difficult to explain if you are able to visualise things.

      I can do maths on paper when I can see it on front of me. But I don’t have a mind’s eye.

      • andz@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I can’t see anything but I can still hold numbers (again, up to a point) in my head without any kind of problem. It’s not a memory impairment in any way, at least not for me. Then again there’s not that much research into it so I’m genuinely curious about your experience as well.

        • Lazylazycat@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Yeah I can’t hold the numbers in my mind. It’s like i can grasp the concept of a number for a split second and then it’s gone like smoke. How do you add two numbers together in your mind? Like, what happens?

          • andz@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Okay. That seems like an extremely inconvenient thing to live with. Must be extremely frustrating.

            For me it’s more like …I can’t see a 7 or an 8 but I don’t have a problem with taking 2 from the 7 and “holding” the remaining 5 in my memory while I add up 8 + 2.

            On the other hand if someone asks about what an apple is I can tell them they come in red or green varieties but ask me to draw one and it’ll be the ugliest apple ever put on paper. Meanwhile I can draw just fine if I have a model in front of me.

            The thing I seriously don’t understand is why I can see my dreams though. Never made any sense to me whatsoever.