Epistemology - Perception

Question 1

Define direct realism

Answer 1

Physical objects exist independently of our minds and perceptions, and we perceive them as well as their properties directly

Question 2

Define indirect realism

Answer 2

We perceive physical objects, which exist independently of the mind, indirectly via sense data which are caused by and represent physical objects

Question 3

Define Berkeley’s idealism

Answer 3

All that exists are minds and ideas; physical objects are bundles of ideas that are mind-dependent - esse est percipi aut percipere (to be is to be perceived)

Question 4

What are the criticisms against DR?

Answer 4

• Time lag (can be overcome)
• Illusion
• Perceptual variation (could overcome)
• Hallucination

Question 5

Explain the time lag criticism

Answer 5

It takes light approximately 8 minutes to reach Earth, therefore when you see the sun, that is how it appeared 8 minutes ago, therefore there is a difference between the sun’s appearance and how we perceive it (we are not perceiving the sun directly)

Question 6

Explain the DR response to the time lag criticism

Answer 6

Time lag response confuses what we perceive with how we perceive it. Yes, we perceive objects via light and sound waves and yes, it takes time for these light and sound waves to travel through space. But what we are perceiving is still a mind-independent object (it’s not sense data or some other mind-dependent thing) - we are just perceiving the object as it was moments ago rather than how it is now.

Question 7

What is solipsism?

Answer 7

Solipsism refers to the view that only one’s mind exists, and no other minds or mind-independent objects exist

Question 8

What are the 3 criticisms against indirect realism?

Answer 8

1. Scepticism; all we know is sense data
2. Berkeley; primary and secondary qualities are equal
3. Resemblance =/= representation

Question 9

What are the main arguments for idealism?

Answer 9

• Berkeley’s attack on primary/secondary quality distinction
• ‘Master’ argument

Question 10

Outline Berkeley’s attack on primary/secondary quality distinction

Answer 10

Secondary qualities are mind dependent, but so are primary qualities due to perceptual variation; size, shape and motion also vary depending on perceiver

Question 11

Outline Berkeley’s ‘master’ argument

Answer 11

Hylas and Philonous dialogue where Philonous asks Hylas to imagine an object that exists independent of a perceiver - however such a tree cannot exist as once someone imagines it it is perceived

Question 12

Outline the criticism that idealism leads to solipsism (unperceived objects)?

Answer 12

When objects are not observed, for idealism, they don’t exist, therefore how can we know other minds exist? For idealism, nothing exists beyond our own experience; if all that exists are ideas, we have no reason to believe in mind-independent objects or other minds

Question 13

What is Berkeley’s response to the issue of solipsism?

Answer 13

Ideas exist in God’s mind, which keeps them in continuous existence

Question 14

What is the argument from illusion posed to idealism?

Answer 14

Idealism makes no distinction between perceived appearance and reality, however if this is the case, how can Berkeley account for illusion? Crooked pencils in water are not truly crooked