Epistemology: Percption- 07/6. Perception as Knowledge Recap Flashcards
What is Direct Realism?
Direct Realism is the default understanding of how we gain knowledge via sense experience.
What do Direct Realists argue about objects of perception?
The objects of our perception are mind-independent objects in themselves.
How do Direct Realists claim we see objects?
We see these objects directly, with nothing in between our mind and the object.
What is sense-data in the context of Direct Realism?
Non-existent
What is a challenge to Direct Realism regarding perception?
Perception varies as we move around the world and different people see different things.
What are illusions in the context of Direct Realism?
Illusions are where we observe an object having a property, but the object does not have that property.
What are hallucinations in relation to Direct Realism?
Hallucinations occur with no object at all which could have the property, indicating they must be sense data.
What does the concept of time-lag refer to in Direct Realism?
Time-lag suggests we see things via light in different time frames.
What is Indirect Realism?
Indirect Realism claims there is a real, physical, mind-independent world, but we experience it indirectly via sense data.
Who identified the distinction between primary and secondary qualities?
John Locke identified that all ideas in our mind can be separated into primary and secondary qualities.
What are primary qualities according to Locke?
Primary qualities are inseparable powers that an object has to produce ideas in the mind.
What are secondary qualities according to Locke?
Secondary qualities are mind-dependent powers that are nothing but ideas in the mind.
What is a major concern with Indirect Realism?
It could lead us to general scepticism.
How does Locke defend against scepticism in Indirect Realism?
He uses involuntary experiences and coherence with multiple senses.
What argument did Trotter-Cockburn support regarding perception?
He focused on physical objects being the only reasonable source of our perception.
What is Russell’s explanation for the coherency of sense data?
A physically real world is the best hypothesis for the coherency of all our sense data.
What is Berkeley’s Idealism?
Berkeley’s Idealism states that all knowledge comes from perception, which is made up of mind-dependent qualities.
What does Berkeley argue about the existence of qualities?
All qualities are mind-dependent.
What is the Master Argument in Berkeley’s Idealism?
The Master Argument claims we cannot imagine an object unperceived.
What is the implication of the Master Argument?
If perception is removed from the object, there is no object left to hold those qualities.
Why does Berkeley argue that unperceived objects still exist?
Because God is always perceiving all things.
What is a major concern of Idealism?
God is not a better explanation than physical objects.
What problem can Idealism lead to?
The problem of Solipsism.
Fill in the blank: Berkeley argues that all qualities are _______.
mind-dependent.
