indirect realism

Question 1

25 mark plan:
Assess indirect realism.

Answer 1

intro: argue IR best explanation + doesn’t lead to scepticism
Define: ID, sense data, mind-independent objects.

para1: for perceptual variation

para2: against, scepticism/ veil of perception

Response: Locke involuntary nature of experience

Response to response: how do we know external world is anything like our perception?

Response: Russell external world best hypothesis

conclusion: IR best theory of perception! accounts for hallucinations/perceptual variations + doesn’t lead to scepticism.

Question 2

indirect realism meaning

Answer 2

the view that:
- the external world exists independently of the mind (hence, realism)
- but we percieve the external world indirectly, via sense data (hence, indirect).
Indirect realism says the immediate object of perception is sense data. This sense data is cause by + represents, the mind-independent external world.

Question 3

what is sense data

Answer 3

content of perceptual experience.
exists in the mind (non-physical)
sense data mind dependent.

Question 4

what’s the external world to indirect realists?

Answer 4

external world: mind-independent

Question 5

what does mind-independent mean?

Answer 5

objects such as trees will continue to exist without any human around to perceive them.

Question 6

how do we perceive the external world

Answer 6

indirect via sense data

Question 7

IR philosophers

Answer 7

locke, hume, russell, cockburn

Question 8

IR issues- mind dependent objects exist

Answer 8

•not possible to divide between primary and secondary qualities. All qualities may rlly be secondary as they’re still dependent on our senses for identification and interpretation

Question 9

is ID realist or not?

Answer 9

realist

Question 10

what did Locke create for sense data?

Answer 10

distinction of primary + secondary qualities.

Question 11

what are lockes primary qualities?
(objective)

Answer 11

properties inherent in the object itself
-size
-shape
-motion
-number

Question 12

what are Locke secondary qualities?
(subjective)

Answer 12

powers of an object to cause sensations in humans
- colour
-taste
-smell
-feel

Question 13

what does locks primary and secondary qualities illustrate?

Answer 13

One example is porphyry= a red and white stone.
Locke says when you prevent light from reaching porphyry “its colours vanish”. However primary qualities remain.
his distinction between P + S qualities used to support INDIRECT REALISM.

Question 14

support for Lockes primary qualities

Answer 14

Locke- primary qualities are ‘utterly inseparable’ from an object. Means that - however the object is altered its parts must retain some shape, size, position and so on, even if we can no longer see the parts. without the qualities it wouldn’t be material at all. Therefore, primary qualities must be essential to material objects and are retained by the objects wether or not anyone perceives them.

Question 15

support for locked primary qualities in summaries argument structure

Answer 15

P1 if you continually divide an object the parts must retain the primary qualities even when they are too small to be perceived.
C therefore primary qualities must exist mind independently.

Question 16

support for locked secondary qualities in argument structure

Answer 16

P1 when we pound an almond we merely change the shape of its parts.
P2 but the colour and taste of the almond also change.
C so, the change in colour and taste is caused by the change in the shape of the almonds parts.

Question 17

criticism- perceptual variation

Answer 17

differences in perceptions variation provide a problem for direct realism
e.g when i stand on one side of the room a shiny wooden table may have a white spot where the light is shining on it. But to someone standing on the other side of the room there may be no white spot.
But the white spot is either there or it isn’t - it can’t be both!
means = one of us is not perceiving the table directly as it is.

Russel more examples with the table:
shape of the table- from directly overhead may appear rectangular. few meters away may look kite-shaped.
Again- can’t be both
examples: highlight the differences in our perception.
according to direct realism: there should be no differences between perception and reality.
all these variations in perception suggest that there is no real way to perceive the world

Question 18

who gave perceptual variation argument

Answer 18

Russel

Question 19

PROBLEM: SCEPTICISM overview/ key points

Answer 19

• according to indirect realism we are directly aware only of sense data + must infer the existence of objects beyond the mind.
  -however, our senses can deceive us.
  -worse, it is conceivable that our sense data do not correspond with any material reality, if for example my brain is in a vat or there is a powerful demon bent on deceiving me.
  -these possibilities show that the interference is not valid and so not sufficient for knowledge.

Question 20

problem:
what is the ‘veil of perception’?

Answer 20

We only know what e are directly aware of. Since we cannot directly observe reality we cannot know it exists. = called veil of perception is the problem for it says that our sense data constitute a veil between us and reality which we cannot penetrate to discover the material world.

Question 21

What is the veil of perception and trap of solipsism?

Answer 21

“all we have direct access to are our own sensations. We cannot peer peer beyond the veil of perception to perceive the world as it really is. But is we cannot penetrate the veil of perception, then not only can we not know what the world is really like but we can never know that the real world exists at all. Perhaps something else entirely is causing our sensations”.

Question 22

response issue of sceptisicm

Answer 22

Locke involves pointing out that we are not in control of our sense data. If I open my eyes I will receive certain sense data and this is not something I have any choice about. Because perception is not subjective to my will, Locke argues, it cannot come from me. And therefore, the source of sensation must be external. (involuntary nature of experience)

Question 23

The coherence of various kinds of experience: Lockes viewpoint

Answer 23

-Locke is aware these are not deductively valid arguments. The fact I cant control my sense experiences + they cohere with each other doesn’t entail they must be caused by material reality. This inference goes beyond evidence. After all, when I dream, our sense experience are not subject to the will = I cannot control my dreams. In a dream I may appear to see, hear + feel the same objects. Despite this, dreams don’t correspond with material reality.
-However, Locke hopes hes done enough to show that the inference of the existence of mind-independent objects is reasonable + as good as creatures of limited faculties can attain. Locke favours the reality of matter, by far the best explanation of our experience than any alternative, such as that it all a dream.

Question 24

Second response to issue of scepticism.
The coherence of various kinds of experience (Cockburn)

Answer 24

appeals to the way our different senses cohere with each other.
-For example, Locke observes we can both see a fire and feel its heat.
-Catherine Cockburn also observes that we learn to associate the way objects feel to the touch and the way they appear to the eye.

Question 25

The coherence of various kinds of experience: Russels support for Lockes viewpoint

Answer 25

-Like Locke R argues the existence of the external world is the ‘best hypothesis’. R argument doesnt prove that conclusion for certain; rather, the conclusion seems like the best explanation available.

Argument summarised:
1. We have perceptions which generally cohere with each other.
2. We have perceptions which seem to cohere with other people’s perceptions.
3. We have perceptions which have continuity over time.
4. Either we percieve the external world, or our perceptions are illusory.
5. Therefore, the external world exists + we perceive it.