ABSTRACT
Sensing danger Sensation describes the physiology of receiving and transmitting information from stimuli, while perception comprises the cognitive interpretation of that information. While they are distinct processes, to our conscious awareness, sensation and perception may appear as a seamless continuum. Therefore, we may rarely be consciously aware of transitioning between the contiguous processes of sensation and perception. Evolution has equipped each living organism with a sensory system to match its life requirements, particularly its survival needs, with its environment. This chapter explores humans’ complex sensory system and evaluates the extent to which it can identify the main threats that we encounter in our contemporary world.
