The Moon Illusion explained by the Projective Consciousness Model

TL;DR

This paper explains the Moon illusion through a model that uses projective geometry and free energy minimization to account for perceptual size changes, surpassing previous theories in explanatory power.

Contribution

It introduces the Projective Consciousness Model, a novel framework that explains the Moon illusion via geometrical optimization and predictive coding.

Findings

The model accounts for all documented modulations of the illusion.

It explains variability in the illusion across individuals and contexts.

It predicts new phenomena related to perceptual size illusions.

Abstract

The Moon often appears larger near the perceptual horizon and smaller high in the sky though the visual angle subtended is invariant. We show how this illusion results from the optimization of a projective geometrical frame for conscious perception through free energy minimization, as articulated in the Projective Consciousness Model. The model accounts for all documented modulations of the illusion without anomalies (e.g., the size-distance paradox), surpasses other theories in explanatory power, makes sense of inter- and intra-subjective variability vis-a-vis the illusion, and yields new quantitative and qualitative predictions.