A living organism is completely dependent on all of its senses. Human beings have five; sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch but other animals like dolphins and bats use a sixth sense (echo location) to strengthen the other five. Our senses are used as warnings (like smelling gas before an explosion, tasting something bitter, pricking ourselves on thorns, hearing a twig snap behind us, or seeing something flying at our faces) and they also bring us pleasure (smelling roses, tasting warm cookies, hearing sweet music, seeing a beautiful painting, or feeling the warmth of a soft blanket). .
Although the senses have many purposes, they also have their limitations, especially in humans. Dogs have a much larger and sharper hearing range, birds have a much keener sense of sight, and some types of marine life can feel disturbances on the earth from miles away. If we depended completely on one sense we would fail. .
It is often said that people who have lost the use of one of their senses sharpen the remaining feelings in order to make up for the loss. The most common example of this is that a person who has lost their sight, and is thus blind, will have an extraordinary sense of hearing. Also, their sensory and depth perception is sharpened in order to sense objects when they are near to prevent running into them. .
Also, the senses are limited in that they are not always accurate. How many of us have had that experience when you hear someone say something and you turn around and no one is there or you mishear a word? And how many of us have had to take a double-take because we thought we saw something that wasn't there? This happens all too often and is one of the flaws in human perception. So, in this way, the senses are able to influence perception. Often times, we fill in things that our senses assume and sometimes they could have never happened. The power of suggestion is also an amazing influence on the senses and perception.
