Abstract

The republication of Musatti’s first work on stereokinetic phenomena (Musatti, 1924) is significant for two main reasons: its historical interest and the implications for perception theories and the sociology of science. Stereokinesis represents a particular case of phenomena where the structure of an object is perceived through the transformations of an optical arrangement over time. Despite recent advances in understanding the underlying neural mechanisms, stereokinesis demonstrates that the standard model of three-dimensional perception based on movement is inadequate and suggests the need for an alternative model. This alternative model could better explain the discrepancies between visual information and three-dimensional perception, emphasizing effective interaction with the environment rather than perceptual accuracy. Hoffman’s interface theory, which proposes an adaptive view of perception, offers a compelling explanation for these phenomena, highlighting the importance of perception as an evolutionarily advantageous interaction tool. However, the persistence of the standard model can be attributed more to the sociology of science than to rigorous scientific motivations.