Olfaction is a Spatial Sense

This paper investigates the spatial dimensions of olfactory perception, challenging philosophical views that marginalize smell in spatial navigation and cognition compared to visual phenomenology. I argue that both olfactory and visual perceptions—despite smell often being considered non-spatial or minimally spatial—involve intricate spatial structuring when processed through unconscious cognitive processes. An information- theoretical approach shows that cognitive inferences turn spatially deficient sensory data into spatialized perceptual content to generate spatial perception across sensory modalities. This challenges the idea that spatial perception is tied to external features. My argument is supported by two lines of evidence: (i) figure-ground segregation across sensory modalities, suggesting a general mechanism in perceptual processing; (ii) recent neuroscientific evidence demonstrating how spatial information is processed in olfaction for navigation and environmental mapping. My analysis calls for a reevaluation of assumptions about the non-spatial nature of smell, highlighting significant cognitive and spatial capabilities in olfaction.