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Full Idea
On Whitehead's view, not only is a volitional sense of 'causal power' projected on to physical events, but 'perception in the causal mode' is literally ascribed to them.
Gist of Idea
Whitehead held that perception was a necessary feature of all causation
Source
report of Alfred North Whitehead (Process and Reality [1929]) by Harré,R./Madden,E.H. - Causal Powers 3.II
Book Ref
Harré,R/Madden,E.H.: 'Causal Powers: A Theory of Natural Necessity' [Blackwell 1975], p.58
A Reaction
This seems to be a close relative of Leibniz's monads. 'Perception' is a daft word for it, but in some way everything is 'responsive' to the things adjacent to it.
Related Idea
Idea 5044 Reality must be made of basic unities, which will be animated, substantial points [Leibniz]
10656 | With 'extensive connection', boundary elements are not included in domains [Whitehead, by Varzi] |
15389 | In Whitehead 'processes' consist of events beginning and ending [Whitehead, by Simons] |
15247 | Whitehead held that perception was a necessary feature of all causation [Whitehead, by Harré/Madden] |
16962 | Whitehead replaced points with extended regions [Whitehead, by Quine] |
7719 | European philosophy consists of a series of footnotes to Plato [Whitehead] |