An Image of Truth episode artwork

EPISODE · May 3, 2026 · 29 MIN

An Image of Truth

from The Reith Lectures · host BBC Radio 4

Neurobiologist and lecturer of Physiology at the University of Cambridge explores human sight in his third Reith Lecture from his series entitled 'Mechanics of the Mind'. We build up a miraculous understanding of the world around us by interpreting the light that enters our eyes. Professor Blakemore explains how the brain interprets these lights to create sight. In this lecture entitled 'An Image of Truth', Professor Blakemore argues that our perception provides us with a representation of our world, which we trust as a measure of reality, but what happens when this part of the brain is affected? To answer this question he shows how science uses case studies to investigate and develop our understanding.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 3, 2026

Neurobiologist and lecturer of Physiology at the University of Cambridge explores human sight in his third Reith Lecture from his series entitled 'Mechanics of the Mind'. We build up a miraculous understanding of the world around us by interpreting the light that enters our eyes. Professor Blakemore explains how the brain interprets these lights to create sight. In this lecture entitled 'An Image of Truth', Professor Blakemore argues that our perception provides us with a representation of our world, which we trust as a measure of reality, but what happens when this part of the brain is affected? To answer this question he shows how science uses case studies to investigate and develop our understanding.

PodParley-generated summary based on available episode metadata and transcript content.

NOW PLAYING

An Image of Truth

0:00 29:42

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Reith Lectures?

This episode is 29 minutes long.

When was this The Reith Lectures episode published?

This episode was published on May 3, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Neurobiologist and lecturer of Physiology at the University of Cambridge explores human sight in his third Reith Lecture from his series entitled 'Mechanics of the Mind'. We build up a miraculous understanding of the world around us by interpreting...

Can I download this The Reith Lectures episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!