Why is depth perception a good illustration that perception is a creative process? How do we perceive depth?

Why is depth perception a good illustration that perception is a creative process? How do we perceive depth?

For example, we may perceive two objects at different distances but that cast the same-sized image on the retina. The perceptual system then takes the distance of the farther object into account, so it is perceived as it actual, larger size. The perceptual system also takes the size of the perceived object relative to other objects in the environment into account.
A further, and different example, consists of holding two quarters away from oneself, at different distances. Although, the farther quarter casts a smaller image onto the retina, the perceptual system takes into account the distances, and helps us perceive their sizes more accurately.

Depth perception is the ability to percieve the world in three dimensions and see the distance of an object. Depth cues are key to depth perception. They are classified into two categories:

- monocular cues - cues that may be represented in two dimensions and observed with one eye
- binocular cues - cues that are sensory information represented in three dimensions taken in by both eyes.

In binocular vision the two eyes each have a slightly different image captured and the difference between these images serves as a cue to depth while they are mered into one consistent 3D representation.
When looking at it like that we may state that because the brain is creating a coherent, 3D image of something it sees, taking some cues into considertation it creates the image from these cues and therefore it may be called a creative process.