Mueller and Helmholtz on the Doctrine of Specific Nerve Energies - Essay Example

Therefore, Muller postulated that every nerve has an innate ability that is only revealed by applying a particular stimulus. According to Bridges (1912), Muller theory implies that sensations on the nerves are not the exact qualities of the applied stimulus, but are actual indicator of the nerves themselves. In modern interpretation, the doctrine of specific nerve energies implies that stimuli such as sound, noise, light and other environmental factors are non-existent. They are just states that excite our nerves.

In this regard, Muller considers sensory nerves as the foundation of “specific energy” (Bridges 1912, p46). The theory according to Bridges (1912) affirms that the sensory system in association with the nerves retains the stimulus in form of ideation or remembrance. The doctrine considers the modality of the stimuli without due concern to the quality. This implies that every sensory organ is provided with particular nerve energy and consequently it reacts to various types of stimuli differently (Rachlin, 2005).

In contrast to the Muller’s doctrine, modern version recognizes the existence of unconscious mental events. This differs with Muller’s assertion that sensations are exclusively conscious and mental events (Bennet and Hacker 2003). The modern version makes clear distinction between the mental and conscious events. This implies that the modern version considers the role inherent mental events such as fears, hopes, thoughts, dreams and other feelings that exist in nervous perception. These sensations originate from man’s interaction with the environment.

Therefore, Muller’s supposition that nerves contain specific energies independent of the surrounding environmental influence is one of the major differences from the modern version. Young Helmholtz theory of color discrimination identifies three-color receptors found in the retina. In Young Helmholtz view, the color receptors enable color perception in some animals, including human beings. The photoreceptors are sensitive to three colors, namely red, green and blue (Bennet and Hacker 2003).

In this respect, discrimination of colors occurs because of differences in the excitation .levels of various light wavelengths in the three photoreceptors located in the retina. From his theory, Young Helmholtz discovered the trichromatic theory of vision. Color discrimination theory is based on how photoreceptors differentiate color on thse basis of wavelengths. These receptors, referred as cones are sensitive to the three colors and the visual system decodes the colors in antagonistic manner (Bennet and Hacker 2003).

Young Helmholtz theory of color discrimination has a distinct similarity to Muller’s doctrine of nerve specific energy. The presence of the three color receptors described in the discrimination theory is an indication of a preexisting conscious state in the visual systems that is aroused by external stimuli in form of light. Color discrimination theory implies that lack of color stimuli does not trigger differentiation of colors on the basis of their wavelengths. For instance, red receptors in the retina reflects red light because of the presence of light with similar wavelength as color red in the visual spectrum.

This means that a person can perceive the red color on the traffic lights and react accordingly by stopping. This explains why some people