© Michael Lacewing Direct and representative realism Michael Lacewing

What do we perceive? John Locke argued that when we perceive a physical object, we perceive it ‘ representatively ’, ‘ via ’ the way it appears to us. What we perceive ‘ directly ’ is an appearance, an idea immediately present to the mind.

Primary and secondary qualities Primary qualities: properties of an object that are not related by definition to perceivers, e.g. size, mass, and shape Secondary qualities: properties that are related to perceivers, e.g. colour and smell

Experience and object Representative realism: We perceive an appearance directly, the object representatively. Direct realism: We perceive objects directly, in virtue of the appearance/experience.

Representative realism: illusion In illusions, you see something, but not as it really is. What you see is an appearance. In veridical perception, you still see an appearance immediately, and the object representatively.

Objections to representative realism Resemblance: how can the appearance, which is mental and coloured, ‘ resemble ’ the object, which is physical and not coloured? –Same primary qualities? –No: the appearance of these change; –and mental images don ’ t have size and shape the way physical objects do.

Objections to representative realism II Scepticism: how do we know there is a physical world, causing our experiences? Seeing the same thing? representative realism suggests not …

Direct realism We can only describe the ‘ appearance ’ – what we see – in terms of the objects we see. And perception is an experience of seeing something that exists independently of the experience.

Objections to direct realism What do we see in cases of illusion? –In illusions, we see an appearance; but in veridical perception, we see the object itself. But what is ‘ an appearance ’ ? Doesn ’ t everything have ‘ an appearance ’ ? –We don ’ t see ‘ an appearance ’ ; we see the object, as it appears.

Objections to direct realism II What do we see in hallucinations? There is no object! –Good question!! –But direct realism can still say that hallucination should not be a model for veridical perception.