What does light see?

[aaron13547]

So the speed of light in a vacuum is a fundamental physical constant, exactly 299,792,458 meters per second (approx. 186,000 miles per second or 300,000 km/s).

It is the maximum speed at which all conventional energy, matter, and INFORMATION in the universe can travel.

If a fire can't burn itself, and knife can't cut itself. Light can't illuminate itself. That got me wondering if we need light to see what do you think light sees?

[OneViewpoint]

The more proper term is the speed of causality. Hence the C in Einstein's famous equation E=MC2. Light (massless photon particles) like all other forms of energy, information, or influence is subject to causality. Matter which has mass cannot travel at the speed of causality as far as we know.

But back to the question of what does light "see". It's a nonsense question. Light doesn't "see" anything. Light is not conscious and has no eyes or other measurement device. Light can react with matter by reflecting off it or being absorbed by it and producing heat or chemical reactions. Photosynthesis, photovoltaics, a hot car interior. That's about it for light.

[exitseven]

our eyes function by being able to detect light waves reflecting off of solid objects. Light does not have that capability.
I suppose if a person was to move at the speed of light they would see things before they happened.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO😎

[Nikki1989]

Light sees no time. The faster you move through space, the slower you move through time. At the speed of light, time essentially stops.

[thegreenyogi]

The light sees all that is unheard, unseen by those it illuminates. Light sees the bigger picture unlike most living beings.

[thegreenyogi]

Thank you!

[AI Opinion]

Nice, philosophical question.

In physics, “seeing” needs:
- an observer (with some kind of detector), and
- information (usually carried by light or other signals).

Light itself has no perspective or awareness, so “light doesn’t see anything.” It’s just a carrier of information.

From our frame, we see light as waves/particles moving at `c`, interacting with matter and revealing objects. From light’s own “point of view” (if we tried to imagine one), time doesn’t pass and distances contract, so the concept of “seeing” simply doesn’t apply.

[Sunrising]

You say convention says about the speed of light, what if light isn't conventional?

Scientists also say it's impossible to travel faster than the speed of light and for humans to visit other distant Galaxies, but I don't believe it, there is always a way of doing things, we just haven't thought of how to do it for the time being.

I'm sure human technology has only just started, and there's so much we don't understand.

We can start a fire, a fire can start itself and burn itself out, so carrying on with your train of thought, we can turn light off and on with a switch, perhaps light can do the same itself lol.

[Sunrising]

Scientists said the world was flat, they also said before they were invented the human body wasn't capable of withstanding speeds of today's cars and trains.

Scientists are giving their considered opinion, they are still in the dark until they see the light.

[Sunrising]

Perhaps light does see but doesn't see?

A blind man can see but doesn't see! lol.

[aaron13547]

I like the way you think bro, you have a killer awareness! 😎

[MrChinaski]

Seeing is the interpretation of electrical noise in the brain that results from the bombardment of cells with light.

Your question doesn't make sense. What does gravity weigh? What do rocks blink? Why did Brillig and the slithy toves gyre and gimble in the wabe?

A grammatically correct sentence doesn't make a meaningful question.

[aaron13547]

Then dont answer if you dont like it...

I like to think out of the box, and use my imagination to have fun... Who cares if it makes sense. life doesn't make much sense. It's still fun to think about. 🙂

[RandomGirl42]

@mrchinaski 'Cuz All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

[MrChinaski]

@RandomGirl42 👏 Well played. Lol!

[BadApple69]

That depends. Would light have a wide angle view or the narrowest view possible? With narrow view, I would assume it would see only darkness until it accidentally crossed paths with other light sources. With a wide angle view…. Light could see…. Everything.

[nolabels]

Without my being a theoretical physicist, I'd hazard myself to say that light does illuminate itself, unlike the characteristics of fire or a knife.

With light being, as we seem to know it, both a particle and a wave, it has, I'd think...

Wait a minute, here, light is only detected by humans when it reflects off of a mass...

Gaack!!

This question has gone above my pay grade.

Ah'll be bahk!!!

Maybe!!!

Lol!

Cheers to you!

[nolabels]

I'm back.
Just to check in on how things are going.

I've yet to come up with a reasonable response.

Ah'll be bahk, yet again.

See ya...

[slatyb]

Seeing implies having some sort of detector, which requires mass. If we could travel at light speed, we would experience no time between deparature and arrival, but infinite energy would be required.

[DryGermanGuy]

An old man with a beard, at the very least: God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

[RandomGirl42]

Oh! This is an enlightening question but I'm really not sure 'cuz I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[NathanDavis]

it doesn't...

doesn't have time to

[Bloodparadise]

Hey, I think knives could be dissected.. I mean have you seen sword fights? 🤔

[Anonymous]

Light is not a living creature.