This is more of me trying to understand how people imagine things, as I almost certainly have Aphantasia and didn’t realize until recently… If this is against community rules, please do let me know.

The original thought experiment was from the Aphantasia subreddit. Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Aphantasia/comments/g1e6bl/ball_on_a_table_visualization_experiment_2/

Thought experiment begins below.

Try this: Visualise (picture, imagine, whatever you want to call it) a ball on a table. Now imagine someone walks up to the table, and gives the ball a push. What happens to the ball?

Once you're done with the above, click to review the test questions:
  • What color was the ball?
  • What gender was the person that pushed the ball?
  • What did they look like?
  • What size is the ball? Like a marble, or a baseball, or a basketball, or something else?
  • What about the table, what shape was it? What is it made of?

And now the important question: Did you already know, or did you have to choose a color/gender/size, etc. after being asked these questions?

  • @GodnrocEnglish
    2•2 months ago
    • What color was the ball? Blue
    • What gender was the person that pushed the ball? Male
    • What did they look like? Skinny, pants, dress shirt
    • What size is the ball? Like a marble, or a baseball, or a basketball, or something else? Blue, smooth, baseball sized
    • What about the table, what shape was it? What is it made of? Around 2ft square, wooden, light color, four square legs

    All of this was built in my head with each part of the prompt. Pretty sure I don’t have aphantasia.