Indirect Realism (Epistemology)

Question 1

Russell’s Best hypothesis (ID)

Answer 1

Our instinctive belief in the external world is likely to be right as it also matches up with our sense data.

It was also explain why sense data is presented to us in a standard, consistent way (as if there is an external world that stays the same and projects perception upon us).

Question 2

Berkeley’s attack on distinction of primary/secondary qualities

Answer 2

Can’t imagine an object with only primary qualities (shape, size etc)

Therefore, secondary and primary qualities are linked

Secondary qualities are mind-independent, so primary qualities must be as well.

Question 3

Strengths of Indirect Realism

Answer 3

Deals with issues of direct realism (perceptual variation, illusion, hallucination, time-lag).

Question 4

Objection: Veil of Perception against ID + Unnecessary reification

Answer 4

VOP: If all we can experience is sense data, and not the actual external world.

Then there is no way of knowing whether the real world exists as we never have direct experience of it.

UR: Unnecessary reification is the error of claiming something exists without good justification.

The criticism says that sense-data is an unnecessary reification as we can deal with the problems of Direct realism (using Disjunctivism), therefore leaving no use for claiming sense data exists.

Question 5

Defence: (Metaphysical) Ockham’s razor

Answer 5

Says that we must multiply beyond necessity (have sense-data exist) as direct realism and disjunctivism doesn’t deal with its problems well enough.

Disjuctivism deals with problems of perceptual variation (illusion, hallucination etc) by saying it’s due to changes in the brain or situational factors.

Question 6

Indirect Realism Essay Plan

Answer 6

P1: Intent (for) definition of ID, claims.

P2. Indirect Realism: strengths – solves the issues with Direct Realism (arguments from perceptual variation, illusion, hallucination, and time-lag).
P2.2. Objection: veil of perception + unnecessary reification (of sense data)
P2.3. Defence: (Metaphysical) Ockham’s Razor - Sense data is needed due to DR + Disjuctivism not dealing with problems well enough

P3. Locke’s Primary + Secondary qualities
P3.2. Objection: Primary qualities collapse into secondary (Apple with no secondary qualities = nothing) - problem of scepticism
P3.3 . Defence: Locke (coherence and involuntary nature of perception)
P3.4 Objection: Dreams are involuntary but mind-dependant

P5. Conclusion + Sustained intent (for).

Question 7

Objection: Problem of Scepticism

Answer 7

If we are never able to directly experience the external world (due to veil of perception) how are we to know there is an external world?

Question 8

Locke’s Coherence and involuntary Nature of Perception.

Answer 8

Locke states how our perception seems to be forced on us.

• By this, he means our ordinary waking perception.
• He rules out himself as his source of perception as then he would be able to change his perception, which he can’t.

This, paired with how all our sense appear to cohere with what is in from of us (e.g. all our senses agree that we are eating an apple when we are eating an apple from the feeling, smell, taste and look of it)…

Allows us to infer that there must be mind-independent objects out there (an external world) that is causing our perception of things.

Question 9

Berkeley’s Objection that we cannot know the nature of the external world

Answer 9

P1. Everything we perceive is either a primary or secondary quality

P2. Both primary and secondary qualities are mind dependant

C. Therefore, nothing we perceive exists independently of the mind; the objects of perception are entirely mind-dependant