Challenge #30 Results

Over 900 submissions were received to the challenge listed below. So many clever responses. I've chosen one from an 11th grade class, listed as submitted:

state: VA

country: USA

comments: MBK's 11th Grade TOK class says:  there are no black dots.  Just because everyone in the room perceived non-white dots did not make them exist in reality.   They suggest, furthermore, that C is the correct negative for the given positive.   (Except for Tom V. who cleverly suggests that the letter C does not appear in the positive.)

city: Richmond

Congratulations to MBK's class!! And also to Tom V., whose critical thinking comment is well-taken!!

Cheers!!!

Ron Barnette

Perception and Reality: Charles and the Black/White Matrix!

Late one night after a long evening with Zeno's philosophically-minded patrons, a woman approached our man Charles with the following images, suitably apt for their discussion on perception and reality, which had consumed most of the evening's coffeehouse dialogue. She asked Charles to examine both images, and to reflect upon the questions posed beneath each, in light of the evening's debates over what is real and what is only perceived as real---or over whether perception IS reality? How should Charles answer the questions? Submit your responses below. Good luck...and enjoy your Coffeehouse visit!

How many black dots are there?

Is there a correct one? Which?