Perception is… Awareness of things (aka reality) through our 5 senses Sight Smell Touch Hearing Taste

Perception… Plays a key role in almost all subject areas If you had to choose one, in which subject area is perception most valuable? Least valuable? Is the centerpiece of Empiricism School of philosophy that holds that all knowledge is ultimately based on perceptual experience In your opinion, is this too extreme, or spot on?

Perception consists of… Sensation, which is provided by the world Interpretation, which is provided by our minds.

Perceptual Illusions We can become aware of our interpretations of the world by examining visual illusions Types of visual illusion include: Context: we examine the overall context of an image to make a judgment about the size of an object Figure and Ground: We tend to zero in on certain aspects (figure) and make other parts the background Visual Grouping: We look for meaning in something and fill in the gaps (e.g. “dog” in the book) Expectations: Our expectations will influence how we see things. (e.g. Paris in the the spring)

Perceptual Illusions

Selective Perception We don’t process all the data that we’re presented with We only notice some things and overlook others Typically, there are two kind of stimuli we notice: Intensity (a loud bang or sneeze) Contrast (e.g. blood on a white carpet) Mood and interest influences our perception as well; e.g. 3 friends hiking

Relationship between Belief and Sight Our belief influences/taints/informs our sight If we’re consciously looking for something, then we may see it even if it’s not really there Vulcan Virgin Mary in a church window; a face on Mars

Eye-witness testimony Shown to be incredibly unreliable The eye is not a camera and visual memories are not photographs Even possible to say that every time we remember something we reconstruct it For HW, please read 105 to 107 and take double column notes (5 entries)

Perception… …can be an important source of knowledge. BUT, why do we need to treat it with caution?

Confirmation by another sense One sense alone will not always provide us with an accurate idea of reality Why privilege touch over the other senses?

Coherence Also featured in determining whether a knowledge claim is reasonable or not In the context of sensory perception, if something doesn’t fit in, then most likely you are mistaken

Independent Testimony Credibility of evidence increases with each additional witness Such testimony pushes credibility of evidence into the realm of “beyond a reasonable doubt”

Ultimate reality Can we ever have knowledge of ultimate reality? If so, how? If not, why not?

Experiencing reality Pain, taste and color are simply the subjective experience that results from the interaction of you and your environment e.g. Grass is not green, it’s just that you see green grass Is reality colorless as the book says?

Experiencing reality If a tree falls… Is sound physical? Or experienced? What difference does it make? Can we say that colors, sounds, and tastes exist out there independent of our experience of them?

Experiencing reality If a tree falls… Is sound physical? Or experienced? What difference does it make? Can we say that colors, sounds, and tastes exist out there independent of our experience of them?

Experiencing reality Does it matter whether things behave as expected when we’re not around? Does it really only matter if we’re there? E.g. tables in the classroom

3 Theories about Reality Common-sense realism The way we perceive the world mirrors it as it is What is a criticism of common-sense realism?

3 Theories about Reality Scientific Realism The world exists as an independent reality and is very different from how we perceive it Physical table vs. scientific table Ultra-zoom view

3 Theories about Reality Phenomenalism Matter is “the permanent possibility of sensation” and it makes not sense to say the world exists independent of our experience of it Beyond our experience of reality, there is nothing to be said, despite the probable fact that the world may exist outside of our experience with it