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Updated: May 25, 2026

Two-photon Imaging of Cellular Dynamics in the Mouse Spinal Cord

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Published on: February 22, 2015

The missing sense modality: the immune system.

Felice L Bedford¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. bedford@u.arizona.edu

|February 8, 2012

Summary

The immune system, long overlooked, is proposed as a sixth sense modality, complementing Aristotle's five. This hidden sense detects entities at all distances, expanding our understanding of sensory perception.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Immunology
Philosophy of Science

Background:

Aristotle's classification of five senses has dominated Western thought for centuries.
The sensory capabilities of the immune system have been largely unrecognized.
The immune system's role in detecting external and internal cues is increasingly appreciated.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose the immune system as a sixth sense modality.
To demonstrate how the immune system meets the criteria for a sense modality.
To explore potential cross-modal interactions between the immune system and other senses.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis of sensory modality criteria.
Review of immunological detection mechanisms.

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Published on: February 22, 2015

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Immune Synapse in the Human System Using Imaging Flow Cytometry

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Published on: January 7, 2019

Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons

Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons

Published on: June 30, 2022

Philosophical argument for reclassifying the immune system.

Main Results:

The immune system functions as a sensory system, detecting meaningful entities across all ranges.
It fulfills implicit criteria defining a sense modality.
Evidence suggests potential interactions with established senses like vision.

Conclusions:

The immune system should be recognized as a fundamental sensory modality.
This reclassification opens new avenues for research in sensory biology and neuroscience.
Understanding the immune system as a sense offers a more complete view of biological perception.