Single Idea 6510

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

Full Idea

Russell held in 'Problems of Philosophy' that the physical world resembles the phenomenal only in abstract structure.

Clarification

The 'phenomenal' world is that of experience

Gist of Idea

Russell (1912) said phenomena only resemble reality in abstract structure

Source

report of Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912]) by Howard Robinson - Perception VII.5

Book Reference

Robinson,Howard: 'Perception' [Routledge 2001], p.176


A Reaction

Russell's problem is that he then requires full-blown and elaborate 'inferences' to get from the abstract structure to some sort of 'theory' of reality, but our experience seems much more direct, even if it isn't actually 'naïve'.