The senses create patterns that are sent to the cortex, and processed by the same cortical algorithm to create a model of the world. In this way, spoken language and written language are perceived remarkably similarly, despite being completely different at the sensory level. Likewise, Helen Keller’s model of the world was very close to yours and mine, despite the fact that she had a greatly reduced set of senses. Through these patterns the cortex constructs a model of the world that is close to the real thing, and then, remarkably, holds it in memory.
