Direct Realism Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is Direct Realism?
Direct Realism is the theory that physical objects are mind-independent and independent of our perception.
It asserts that we perceive objects and their properties unmediated (directly).
What does it mean that Direct Realism is a form of realism?
It means that the objects we perceive are real and exist independently of our minds.
This emphasizes the existence of objects outside of our perception.
How do we gain knowledge according to Direct Realism?
We gain knowledge through our sense perception and can perceive objects directly as real, mind-independent objects.
This means knowing that an object exists because we can perceive it.
What are the strengths of Direct Realism?
- Fits evidence that objects exist even when not perceived
- Explains all evidence
- Accurate and coherent with evidence of other objects
- Simple, adhering to Ockham’s Razor
Ockham’s Razor suggests that entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity.
What is the Time-Lag Problem in relation to Direct Realism?
It suggests that we do not perceive objects directly, but rather as they were in the past.
This is true even for nearby objects, as we perceive them as they were a few nanoseconds ago.
What is the counterargument to the Time-Lag Problem?
Direct does not mean ‘instantly’; it means ‘unmediated’.
Thus, we are still perceiving objects directly, just not instantly.
What is the Problem of Illusions in Direct Realism?
It claims that what we perceive directly comes from real objects, but illusions show that perception can differ from reality.
For example, a bent pencil appears bent, but it is not actually bent in reality.
What is a counterargument to the Problem of Illusions?
We perceive a bent straw due to light being refracted through water, indicating direct perception of reality.
This suggests that perception can still be direct even in cases of distortion.
What is a limitation of the counterargument for the Problem of Illusions?
Some illusions, like those where an image appears to move, are harder to explain since there might be no intermediary affecting perception.
This raises questions about the nature of perception in those cases.
What is the Problem of Hallucinations in relation to Direct Realism?
Hallucinations do not involve seeing an object in the world, yet they can seem real.
This challenges the idea of direct perception of real objects.
