Single Idea 5677

[catalogued under 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 1. Perceptual Realism / a. Naïve realism]

Full Idea

The naïve direct realist holds that unperceived objects are able to retain properties of all the types we perceive them as having, which includes not only a shape and a size, but also a colour, a taste and a smell.

Gist of Idea

Naïve direct realists hold that objects retain all of their properties when unperceived

Source

Jonathan Dancy (Intro to Contemporary Epistemology [1985], 10.3)

Book Reference

Dancy,Jonathan: 'Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology' [Blackwell 1985], p.147


A Reaction

This I take to be a completely untenable view, if we are including the qualia of red, sweet or pungent among the properties. It seems uncontroversial that objects retain the capacity to cause redness etc. when they are unperceived.