The anatomical and physiological properties of the visual cortex argue against cognitive penetration.

We are consciously aware of visual objects together with the minute details that characterize each object. Those details are perceived instantaneously and in parallel. V1 is the only visual area with spatial resolution and topographical exactitude matching perceptual abilities. For cognition to penetrate perception, it needs to affect V1 image representation. That is unlikely because of the detailed parallel V1 organization and the nature of top-down connections, which can influence only large parts of the visual field.