Wilson, Keith (2013) Perception and reality. New Philosopher, 2. ISSN 2201-7151

PDF - Published Version Restricted to SRO admin only Download (23MB)

Abstract

Taken at face value, the picture of reality suggested by modern science seems radically opposed to the world as we perceive it through our senses. Indeed, it is not uncommon to hear scientists and others claim that much of our perceptual experience is a kind of pervasive illusion rather than a faithful presentation of various aspects of reality. On this view, familiar properties such as colours and solidity, to take just two examples, do not belong to external objects, but are fictions generated by the brain that we mistakenly ascribe to the world around us. Contrary to this view, I argue that properties like colour and solidity are as much a part of the fabric of reality as gravity and electrons, and that our scientific and common-sense world views are not as opposed to one another as it might first appear.

Item Type:	Article
Schools and Departments:	School of History, Art History and Philosophy > Philosophy
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BD Speculative Philosophy > BD095 Metaphysics
Related URLs:	Publisher
Depositing User:	Keith Wilson
Date Deposited:	07 Nov 2013 08:38
Last Modified:	07 Mar 2017 06:42
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/46686

View download statistics for this item

📧 Request an update