Name for visionary state?

January 17, 2007 10:44 AM

Is there a name for the act of seeing (projecting) something that is questionablely present? (For example, seeing the face of God, or Elvis, in the burn marks of your toasted bread.)
posted by R. Mutt to society & culture (9 comments total)

Pareidolia
posted by JeremiahBritt at 10:47 AM on January 17, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Pareidolia?
posted by Memo at 10:48 AM on January 17, 2007

Seeing a pattern in chaos is called pareidolia.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 10:49 AM on January 17, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Damn! Are you guys fast!
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 10:49 AM on January 17, 2007

Wow, that was damn fast. Thanks guys.
posted by R. Mutt at 10:51 AM on January 17, 2007

Just to be different, I should have made my link to SkepDic.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 11:06 AM on January 17, 2007

I've also heard "paranormal researchers" refer to seeing faces (just faces, not the specific face of God, Elvis, or Jesus, or anything) where there are just shadows or other chaotic patterns as "matrixing".
posted by tastybrains at 11:44 AM on January 17, 2007

Actually, the phenomenon to which you are referring is called "MetaTalk".
posted by Mister_A at 1:09 PM on January 17, 2007

Also: Apophenia.

But that's more of a systemic thing than a visual thing.
posted by Coda at 2:12 PM on January 17, 2007