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Single Idea 3901

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 2. Qualities in Perception / c. Primary qualities ]

Full Idea

Touch seems to deliver a purely primary-quality account of the world.

Clarification

Primary qualities are in the object, not the perceiver

Gist of Idea

Touch only seems to reveal primary qualities

Source

Roger Scruton (Modern Philosophy:introduction and survey [1994], 24)

Book Ref

Scruton,Roger: 'Modern Philosophy: introduction and survey' [Sinclair-Stevenson 1994], p.341

A Reaction

Interesting, though a little over-confident. It seems occasionally possible for touch to be an illusion.

The 21 ideas with the same theme [qualities considered independent of observation]:

1728 Many objects of sensation are common to all the senses [Aristotle]
14037 Atoms only have shape, weight and size, and the properties which accompany shape [Epicurus]
16718 Primary qualities are the cause of all the other sensible qualities [Albertus Magnus]
16719 The primary qualities are mixed to cause secondary qualities [Burley]
6490 For Descartes, objects have one primary quality, which is geometrical [Descartes, by Robinson,H]
6725 Locke believes matter is an inert, senseless substance, with extension, figure and motion [Locke, by Berkeley]
15982 Qualities are named as primary if they are needed for scientific explanation [Locke, by Alexander,P]
12479 Primary qualities produce simple ideas, such as solidity, extension, motion and number [Locke]
12480 Ideas of primary qualities resemble their objects, but those of secondary qualities don't [Locke]
7049 In Locke, the primary qualities are also powers [Locke, by Heil]
3933 Primary qualities (such as shape, solidity, mass) are held to really exist, unlike secondary qualities [Berkeley]
23637 Primary qualities are the object of mathematics [Reid]
5466 Primary qualities are number, figure, size, texture, motion, configuration, impenetrability and (?) mass [Ellis]
22414 You don't need to know how a square thing looks or feels to understand squareness [McGinn]
22423 Touch doesn't provide direct experience of primary qualities, because touch feels temperature [McGinn]
22426 We can perceive objectively, because primary qualities are not mind-created [McGinn]
3901 Touch only seems to reveal primary qualities [Scruton]
6497 We say objects possess no intrinsic secondary qualities because physicists don't need them [Robinson,H]
7299 Primary qualities can be described mathematically, unlike secondary qualities [Cardinal/Hayward/Jones]
7300 An object cannot remain an object without its primary qualities [Cardinal/Hayward/Jones]
19647 The aspects of objects that can be mathematical allow it to have objective properties [Meillassoux]