Single Idea 24034

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 5. Empiricism Critique]

Full Idea

Let there be a man who has sometimes seen the fundamental colours, and never the intermediate and mixed colours; it may be that by a sort of deduction he will represent those he has not seen, by their resemblance to the others.

Gist of Idea

If someone had only seen the basic colours, they could deduce the others from resemblance

Source

René Descartes (Rules for the Direction of the Mind [1628], 14)

Book Reference

Descartes,René: 'Rules for the Direction of the Mind' [Newcomb Library 2023], p.49


A Reaction

Thus Descartes solved Hume's shade of blue problem, by means of 'a sort of deduction' from resemblance, where Hume was paralysed by his need to actually experience it. Dogmatic empiricism is a false doctrine!

Related Idea

Idea 23421 If a person had a gap in their experience of blue shades, they could imaginatively fill it in [Hume]