[anaerobicover]

A quite simple demonstration is to be in an environment with constant but not overwhelming repetitive noise, such as a slightly loud fan. While you are concentrating to do something else, perhaps reading, the sound will disappear from your awareness. Now suddenly the sound stops. It is a strange sensation, as if a new noise was present, but in fact it is a silence or lack of noise. An auditory illusion like some optical illusions of staring at a spot then looking elsewhere and having an afterimage.

Nothing sensual is presented directly: it is all contextual.

[mjgs]

I don’t think I’ve experienced that. Noises do ‘go into the background’ so to speak, but even when they disappear completely from consciousness, when they re-appear I know / remember they were in the background. Maybe occasionally I’m a bit unsure if it’s a new sound or not.