Perceptual Intelligence: An Introduction
Introduction to Perceptual Intelligence: The Brain’s Secret to Seeing Past Illusion, Misperception, and Self-Deception
by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler.
Dr. Brian (as he’s known to his patients) has pioneered treatments in vision correction, has published more than 100 scientific, peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters, and is the first choice of many doctors for their own eye treatment. In his new book (October 2017), he offers a fascinating, accessible description of how we see what we see and why this affects every aspect of our lives.
Montel Williams, whose MS (multiple sclerosis) was misdiagnosed for years, has provided a foreword and shares: “Dr. Brian has done a masterly job of exploring the underpinnings of human perception, along the way helping us understand our motivations and behavior.” He goes on to say that “Dr. Brian has taught me a lot about illness perception and why maintaining a positive outlook is critical to effective treatment and eventual outcome.”
This is just one of the areas Dr. Brian addresses. As a surgeon and ophthalmologist who has devoted his career to the field of vision correction, he is fascinated by the connections among our five senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — and how our brains register and interpret them to distinguish reality from illusion.
Defining Perceptual Intelligence (PI) as how we interpret and occasionally manipulate our experiences to distinguish fantasy from reality, he explains that PI relies heavily on our senses and instincts, but it is frequently influenced and distorted by our emotions and memories. As with other forms of intelligence, some people have higher PI than others, but PI can be improved with both awareness and practice and can be used to make desired changes in our lives.
Exploring the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of the world, he explains, with concrete examples and case studies, why our senses do not always match reality, and how we can influence the world around us through perceptions, inward and outward.
Brian Boxer Wachler, MD, is the world’s leading authority on keratoconus, refractive surgery, and creator of the revolutionary I-Brite® Eye Whitening procedure. He has devoted his career to the field of vision correction. For two decades, he has been a pioneering doctor with a thriving career in clinical, academic, and laboratory settings. He boasts an unparalleled history of awards and accomplishments — many of which have singlehandedly changed the practice of ophthalmic surgery. He is currently the medical director of the eponymous Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills and a staff physician at Los Angeles’ famed Cedars Sinai Medical Center. More information at www.perceptualintelligence.com.