direct realism

Question 1

what is direct realism

Answer 1

the external world exists independently of the mind
and we perceive the external world directly
there are two elements in perception, their is the perceiver and the perceived with nothing mediating
we immediately perceive mind independent properties.
the objects retain these properties when they are not perceived.

Question 2

outline perceptual variation (5)

Answer 2

Russell argument from perceptual variation attacks the claim from direct realism that our minds directly perceive mind independent qualities.
real properties of the perceived object may look different depending on the conditions at which they are perceived. therefore we do not perceive things directly.

Question 3

outline the relational properties response (5)

Answer 3

introduces the idea of relational properties, properties which vary with the conditions under which the object is being perceived. the object itself does not change, but the perceiver does.

Question 4

outline the argument from Illusion

Answer 4

p1- when subject to an illusion, the perceiver experiences an apparent property.
p2- the perceiver is directly aware of the apparent property.
p3-the object does not have this property in real life
c1-what the perceiver is directly perceiving and whats real is distinct.
c2- direct realism is false we do not perceive things directly.

Question 5

outline the argument from hallucination

Answer 5

p1- Hallucinations occur when the perceiver perceives something which doesn’t exist outside of the mind mind dependent)
c1- so the hallucination is mind dependent
p2-hallucinations can be subjectively indistinguishable from veridical perceptions
p3- If hallucinations are subjectively indistinguishable from veridical perceptions then the person must be aware of the same thing in both cases.
c2- from c1,p2,p3 what they are directly aware of during veridical perception must also be in the mind.
c3- hence we perceive the world indirectly

Question 6

response to hallucination- the disjunctive theory of perception.

Answer 6

hallucination and veridical perception are two completely different mental states. this is because the hallucination is ontologically dependent on the mind, where as real world objects are not. as they may seem the same, this does not mean they are the same. the fact that hallucinations are subjectibvley indistinguishable from veridical perceptions, tells us nothing about perception, as we imagine something which is not the same as percieveing it.

Question 6

response to hallucination- the disjunctive theory of perception.

Answer 6

hallucination and veridical perception are two completely different mental states. this is because the hallucination is ontologically dependent on the mind, where as real world objects are not. as they may seem the same, this does not mean they are the same. the fact that hallucinations are subjectibvley indistinguishable from veridical perceptions, tells us nothing about perception, as we imagine something which is not the same as percieveing it.