indirect realism Flashcards
(8 cards)
define indirect realism
the view that the external world exists independently of the mind but we perceive the external world indirectly via sense data
primary qualities
properties inherent in the object itself. objective eg. size, shape, motion, number
secondary qualities
powers of an object to cause sensations in humans. subjective eg. colour, taste, smell, feel
argument that it leads to sceptisicm
if we only percieve sense data, not the object itself, how can we prove its existence in the external world? we cant get past veil of perception
response - Locke’s argument from the involuntary nature of our
experience
notes how we are unable to avoid having sense data produced in our minds when we look at objects whereas with memory and imagination we can choose when we experience therefore perceptions must be external that we can’t control
response - the argument from the coherence of the various kinds of
experience
sees fire, feels heat. write on paper, see words, hear words read aloud. there must be the same mind-independent object that causes the coherent perceptions
Bertrand Russell’s response that the external world is the
‘best hypothesis’
cat moving argument. two hypotheses - either the cat exists independently of the mind and moves while you weren’t looking or the cat does not exist independently and stopped existing when you weren’t looking and came back into existence in a different place when you looked back. first hypothesis is more plausible as it connects two perceptions and explains instances such as cat getting hungrier while you’re away so therefore external world existing is best hypothesis
The argument from George Berkeley that we cannot know that mind-independent ideas are like mind-independent objects
basically perceptual variation argument. sense data is ‘perpetually fleeting and variable’ where as physical objects are supposedly fixed and constant so how can they ressemble one another
