Summary Flashcards for 'perception as a source of knowledge' Module for Epistemolgy topic of A level Philosophy AQA
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Perception as a source of knowledge
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ckp441
1. what is realism? the view that a mind-independent external world exists.
Objects such as trees and tables really do exist regard-
less of whether or not there are any humans around to
perceive these objects.
2. What is direct real- The theory that the external world exists independently
ism? of the mind and we perceive the external world directly.
This means that the 'immediate object' of perception
is the mind-independent physical object itself (and its
properties) and there isn't something else, such as a
mental image, that we perceive in perceiving physical
objects.
3. example of direct When you look at and perceive a tree, you are directly
realism perceiving a tree that exists "out there" in the world
independently of your mind, as well as perceiving its
properties.
4. explain the realism As direct realism is a realist view, even if you cease to
part of direct real- perceive an object (for example, because you close your
ism eyes) it doesn't cease to exist. Furthermore, objects
retain their properties whether or not anyone is present
to observe them. For example, when a tree falls over in
a forest when there's no one there to hear it, a direct
realist would argue that it still makes a sound.
5. First strength of di- Common sense theory of perception. Usually when you
rect realism are asked what you see, you describe the external
object itself, not your perception of it. Therefore, it seems
that direct realism is the natural starting point for think-
ing about perception.
6. Second strength of Refine the theory of direct realism and introduce the
direct realism idea of relational properties. A relational property is a
property that something has only in relation to some-
thing else (and,
in some cases, only in some circumstances). In percep-
tion, we can be aware of a range of properties, some
of which the object has independent of our minds, and
, Perception as a source of knowledge
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ckp441
some of which it has in relation to being perceived.
Therefore, an object can appear differently from how it
really is because of the way it relates to an observer.
7. example of a rela- 'being to the left of' something (e.g. "the cupboard is to
tional property the left of the fridge") is a real property that something
can have - but it varies relative to other objects.
8. explanation of what Direct realists claim that in perception, some of the
relational proper- properties we are aware of exist in relation to being
ties show about di- perceived. In this way, there is a difference between
rect realism 'being' something and 'looking' something.
9. example + expla- For example, a rectangular table has the property of
nation of how re- "looking kite shaped". The property of "looking kite
lational properties shaped" is a distinct property from "being kite shaped" -
help strengthen di- so the table can be rectangular and look kite shaped.
rect realism The property of "looking kite shaped" is a relational
property - a property that the table has in relation to
being seen, not a property of a sense-datum. This chal-
lenges Russell's claim that there is no good reason to
say that one of the shapes we experience the table as
having is more real than the others. Russell claims that
what we mean by the shape of an object is the shape
that it appears to have when seen by normal observers
under normal conditions and ordinary points of view.
However, in conjunction with the concept of relational
properties, the fact that we don't always see this 'normal'
shape and our perception of the table's shape varies,
does not show that direct realism is false.
10. how does the idea it challenges the inference that if an object that we are
of relational prop- immediately aware of in our perception is not exactly the
erties solves per- same as what exists independently, we don't perceive
ceptual variation the object directly. Relational properties help to show
and defends the that direct realism does not have to claim that all the
theory of direct re- properties of physical objects, as we perceive them, are
alism? mind-independent as long as there is a clear sense in
which we are directly aware of physical objects them-
selves.
, Perception as a source of knowledge
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ckp441
11. response to re- By saying that some of the properties of an object are
sponse - first prob- 'relational', so do not need to be mind-independent,
lem with relational this version of direct realism becomes very similar to
properties the distinction between primary and secondary qualities
that indirect realism has. Primary qualities are inherent
in the object itself and remain even if our perception
of the object changes, whereas secondary properties
are not. This distinction is used to explain the difference
between reality and our perception of it, in the same way
that 'relational properties' do. It seems strange to say
that 'relational properties' solve direct realism because
they instead seem to adapt it in a way which makes the
theory gravitate towards indirect realism (a theory which
argues the opposite of direct realism).
12. response to re- It is impossible to even determine what we should define
sponse - second as 'normal conditions' when we talk about perceiving an
problem with rela- object. Even if the developed version of direct realism
tional properties establishes that some properties of an object are 'rela-
tional', meaning that they can appear differently to the
'normal' appearance of the object, this does not tell us
how we should choose which perception of an object is
the real version of it independent of our minds. Russell
claims that we cannot privilege one of the perceived
colours or shapes of an object over any others. For
example, there is no reason for us to think that the
'normal' rectangular shape of a table is more real, more
a property of the table, than any of the other shapes we
experience.
13. Explain the issue Proves that there are differences between reality and
of perceptual varia- our perception of it. - examples of variation in differ-
tion and what prob- ent properties such as shape and colour - According
lem it poses for di- to direct realism, what we perceive is the object itself
rect realism and its properties. However, when looking at an object,
our perceptions of it can change without corresponding
changes in the physical object. The properties physical
objects have and the properties they appear to have are
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