The ear does more than Fourier-analysis of partials

Evidence

After putting Fourier’s theorem in proper context and connecting it with our ability to hear partials individually, Ohm and Helmholtz focused too much on the ear’s analytic Fourier analysis capabilities, never assigning a role to any holistic synthesis. When it came to explaining pitch, Ohm couldn’t let go of the idea that what we hear is a collection of partials, so no pitch could be heard unless there was a partial present at that frequency. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2056

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the analytic-vs-synthetic hearing distinction that frames modern pitch perception theories.
• SEED: An essay on how a scientific community’s founding metaphor (the ear as Fourier analyzer) constrained its theories for a century.