Perception

Front 1

Define direct realism

Back 1

it is the common sense theory that suggests that we perceive the world through our 5 senses; their are two key features-

1)its a form of realism -objects have a mind independent existence

2)we directly perceive objects

Front 2

What is the time lag argument and what are the criticisms of it?

Back 2

an argument against direct realism;

1)physics tells us that it takes eight minuets for the suns light to reach us

their is a time lag

2) the sun could have ceased to exist in that time but our experience would be the same

3) therefore, we cannot be perceiving the sun directly it must be a sense-datum of the sun.

criticisms :direct perception doesn't mean immediate perception , we are directly perceiving the object's but just as they where in the past

Front 3

what is the argument from illusion and a response to it?

Back 3

it tries to undermine direct realism;

1) in cases of illusion we are perceiving sense data

2) in cases of truthful perception are indistinguishable from illusion

3)we should understand both are instances of perceiving sense-data directly

response; disjunctivism

truthful perception can be distinguished from illusions as in illusions we perceive sense-data but in truthful perception be perceive the object themselves

Front 4

outline the argument from perceptual variation and a response to it.

Back 4

Bertrand Russell's critism;

1)what we experience varies according to our perspective

2)the objects themselves cannot be thought to vary

3)me must be perceiving sense-data

criticism; relational property's -

2) is false as an objects relational property's do vary according to our perspective

Front 5

explain the argument from Hallucination and a response to it

Back 5

undermines naïve realism;

1) it is possible to have an hallucination that is subjectively indistinguishable from truthful perception

2) in these causes we are not directly aware of physical objects but instead sense-data

3)is we are directly aware of sense-data then we are aware of such objects in truthful perception as well

4) any perception of public objects are indirect , via sense -data

response

Just because a hallucination is subjectively indistinguishable from truthful perception doesn't mean that we are experiencing sense data

Front 6

explain the relational property's response in favour of direct realism

Back 6

in favour of direct realism we may challenge premise two which says (objects themselves cannot be thought to vary).

is it true that your size doesn't increase as I move closer to you? perhaps these property's do vary according to perspective

Front 7

identify two features of indirect realism

Back 7

1) we perceive the world indirectly via sense-data

2) only primary quality's exist in objects themselves

Front 8

outline the difference between Primary and Secondary quality's

Back 8

p- quality's like extension and figure exist in objects themselves

s-like texture and colour are simply the powers of primary quality's of objects to produce sensations within us.

Front 9

Explain Lockes two arguments for the secondary quality thesis

Back 9

Divisabuility- Primary quality's unlike secondary quality's are inseparable from objects

primary quality's are explanatorily basic - when we explain the changing colours of the table we appeals to length and notion of particular light waves not its secondary qualitys

Front 10

explain two responses to Lockes arguments for the secondary quality thesis

Back 10

we cannot conceive of objects without secondary quality's -you couldn't form the ideas of a man on horse back coming towards you if you abstracted the ideas of colour , odour and sound.

objects might still have causally inert secondary quality's - perhaps they are inert or idle , or it might be the primary quality's of particles that generate ideas in our minds

Front 11

why does indirect realism lead to scepticism about the existence of the external world?

Back 11

if we only have direct access to sense-data then perhaps there is no world at all

Front 13

explain Russell's response to the scepticism about the nature of the external world

Back 13

Time - we cant know the real time in which physical objects exist. -but we can know the relative times e.g whether it occurred before or after something else - it doesn't always match the order of changes

space- we cant know what space or distance is in themselves - but our experiences represent the external world only if something exists in space- the positions of physical objects must correspond to the relative positions of sense-data in apparent space.

Secondary quality's- if two objects have the same colour or taste etc. under the same viewing conditions they must share something in common but we don't know what it is in the objects themselves that create the similarity's

Front 14

lockes response to the scepticism of the existence of the external world

Back 14

1)in cases of truthful perceptions these senses provide us with a consistent , coherent representation of the world - if I have any doubt that something exists your senses back it up.

2)sensory expernces in contrast with memorys are involuntary- this suggests they are not caused by me but external objects

Front 15

outline the criticisms of lockes response to the scepticism of the existence of the external world

Back 15

1) the scwptical can pint to other explanantions , which account for the coherence of our sensory experinces -it may be an evil demon or the workings of our own minds

2)dreams and hallusinations are also involuntary yet we don't conclude they are caused by external material objects

Front 16

define idealism

Back 16

physical things are collections of sense-data , they are just clusters of ideas.

Front 17

what does esse is percipi mean?

Back 17

it means to be is to be perceived

Front 18

what is solipsism and whos ideas lead to it?

Back 18

solipsism means that the only thing that exists is my own mind and its contents. and Berkley's view can lead to this.

Front 19

what is anology?

Back 19

the existence of other minds is proven by comparison between my behaviour and others

Front 20

what does berkely suppose about god?

Back 20

that their is an all-powerful god who is a permanent perceiver of all ideas