Visible light emitted or reflected from the objects around us provides information about the world.
If I sit in a dark room, and see the bright room outside, I am able to see all the objects of that bright room. In other words, it mean light emitted or reflected from those objects of the bright room are entering into the dark room. Shouldn't that make my room bright? But, my room is dark and I am able to see those objects of bright room, both are contrary?
Edit: If we consider another situation like the one in the picture below, lets assume that we move as far from the street light, that even in the presence of street light the place remains as dark as it was before. I believe even then we can see the street light, won't we?
If we agree that we still can see the lamp, it mean that we are able to see the lamp, without the ray from lamp hitting our eye? Won't it be contrary?
Edit: Lets consider a laser beam in the dark room (in the picture room is not totally dark, but assume a dark room). Look the laser in the same angle as shown in the picture, as laser remains narrow over long distance, I hope we can assume light is not spreading in other directions. But I hope we can see it even though light is not spreading and reaching me, how is it possible?
These horses aren't black but because the ratio of the bright light to the dark horses exceeds the dynamic range of the camera the sky is washed out white and the horses are in silhouette.
Best Answer
In the situation you are describing, the only thing one can take away is that the room you are in is brighter than it would be if the bright room were not there. It does not mean that your room has to be as bright as the bright room, just that your room is brighter than it would be otherwise.
For your new situation with the street lamp:
If you move very far away, but still within sight of the lamp, the light from the lamp or nearby bright objects will still reach your dark room. Your dark room will not be as dark as it was before, even if you judge it to be just as dark using only your eye. Since light is reaching the dark room, that light will cause the room to be a bit brighter.
Using the idea of intensity of light:
An intensity of zero at some point in space means there is no electromagnetic radiation; there is no light. If you stand in a place where the intensity of visible light is actually equal to zero, there is no light there. You won't be able to see anything with your eyes or any other visible light detector.
Make sure you're not confusing zero intensity with a very small intensity. These are very different ideas.
It might help if you take a particle-view of light. Think about the photons leaving the lamp and entering your eye. If they enter your eye, and you move away, they're going to hit the walls of the room instead.