[nabs-l] NABS-L Heightened Senses

[Sean Whalen]

Marc,

I think we are pretty much on the same page on this. The distinction I
articulated between abilities and capacities was not meant to dismiss all
possibility of their being any differences between the blind and the
sighted, but rather to clarify things and resolve the apparent tension you
pointed out when you said:

"Though, if you think about it, what is the difference between having an 
enhanced/heightened sense of hearing, and using your sense of hearing more 
effectively than the average person?"

While I don't have the knowledge or background to know if it is in fact the
case that the brains of blind children develop differently than those of
sighted children, I don't have a hard time believing that there is some
truth in that. I do not, however, think that this is what sighted people are
generally thinking about when they make comments about superhuman hearing. I
am quite sure that many people attribute to blind people sensory abilities
that go beyond anything humans have the capacity to achieve. I also think,
the question of different brain development aside, the majority of the ways
in which I use my hearing could be easily achieved by a sighted individual
if he or she took a relatively short period of time to focus on doing so.
For instance, I have had people be amazed at the fact that I was able to
locate a set of keys which I had dropped on the ground. Surely, with minimal
effort, virtually anybody could learn to discern the approximate location of
a dropped item by listening. I can definitely agree with you that there may
be a kernel of truth to the stereotype in that blind people, generally,
develop their senses beyond what is considered normal, and may even have a
greater capacity to develop sensory capabilities beyond the point that is
possible for sighted persons to develop theirs, due to differences in brain
development. This said, I believe that, by and large, it is my abilities and
not my capacities that differ from those of the average sighted person,
particularly with respect to the ways in which I use my senses in daily
life.

Take care,

Sean