Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Hermarchus, Gregory L. Murphy and Philippa Foot

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2 ideas

12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 5. Interpretation
Research shows perceptual discrimination is sharper at category boundaries [Murphy]
     Full Idea: Goldstone's research has shown how learning concepts can change perceptual units. For example, perceptual discrimination is heightened along category boundaries.
     From: Gregory L. Murphy (The Big Book of Concepts [2004], Ch.13)
     A reaction: [Goldstone 1994, 2000] This is just the sort of research which throws a spanner into the simplistic a priori thinking of many philosophers.
When we say 'is red' we don't mean 'seems red to most people' [Foot]
     Full Idea: One might think that 'is red' means the same as 'seems red to most people', forgetting that when asked if an object is red we look at it to see if it is red, and not in order to estimate the reaction that others will have to it.
     From: Philippa Foot (Moral Relativism [1979], p.23)
     A reaction: True, but we are conscious of our own reliability as observers (e.g. if colourblind, or with poor hearing or eyesight). I don't take my glasses off, have a look, and pronounce that the object is blurred. Ordinary language philosophy in action.