more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 4758

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

Full Idea

Naïve realism leads to physics, and physics, if true, shows that naïve realism is false. Therefore naïve realism, if true, is false, therefore it is false.

Gist of Idea

Naïve realism leads to physics, but physics then shows that naïve realism is false

Source

Bertrand Russell (An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth [1940], p.13)

Book Ref

Russell,Bertrand: 'An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth' [Penguin 1967], p.13


A Reaction

I'm inclined to agree with this, though once you have gone off and explored representation and sense data you may be driven back to naïve realism again.


The 5 ideas with the same theme [reality is just as it appears to be]:

Since our ideas vary when the real things are said to be unchanged, they cannot be true copies [Berkeley]
Naïve realism leads to physics, but physics then shows that naïve realism is false [Russell]
Naïve direct realists hold that objects retain all of their properties when unperceived [Dancy,J]
When a red object is viewed, the air in between does not become red [Robinson,H]
If reality is just what we perceive, we would have no need for a sixth sense [PG]