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Single Idea 6415

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 4. Sense Data / a. Sense-data theory ]

Full Idea

During the decade after 'Problems of Philosophy' Russell points our repeatedly that specifications of sense-data come last in analysis, not first in experience.

Gist of Idea

After 1912, Russell said sense-data are last in analysis, not first in experience

Source

report of Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912]) by A.C. Grayling - Russell Ch.2

Book Ref

Grayling,A.C.: 'Russell' [OUP 1996], p.43

A Reaction

This was a symptom of Russell losing faith in sense-data, and he eventually abandoned them. There is a possible position where we deny any such item as sense-data in a scientific account, but allow them in our metaphysics.

The 23 ideas with the same theme [theory that sense-data actually exist]:

16638 The qualities of the world are mere appearances; reality is the motions which cause them [Hobbes]
2356 Appearance and reality can be separated by mirrors and echoes [Hobbes]
4164 Direct feeling of the senses are merely data; perception of the world comes with understanding causes [Schopenhauer]
6417 In 1921 Russell abandoned sense-data, and the gap between sensation and object [Russell, by Grayling]
6474 Seeing is not in itself knowledge, but is separate from what is seen, such as a patch of colour [Russell]
6415 After 1912, Russell said sense-data are last in analysis, not first in experience [Russell, by Grayling]
5358 'Sense-data' are what are immediately known in sensation, such as colours or roughnesses [Russell]
18280 We live in sense-data, but talk about physical objects [Wittgenstein]
6524 Positivists prefer sense-data to objects, because the vocabulary covers both illusions and perceptions [Ayer, by Robinson,H]
2615 The concept of sense-data allows us to discuss appearances without worrying about reality [Ayer]
6455 Maybe 'sense-data' just help us to talk about unusual perceptual situations [Lacey]
6456 Sense-data are neutral uninterpreted experiences, separated from objects and judgements [Angeles]
2782 We can be looking at distant stars which no longer actually exist [Dancy,J]
6451 Visual sense data are an inner picture show which represents the world [Blackburn]
3579 Sense data avoid the danger of misrepresenting the world [Williams,M]
2719 Sense data imply representative realism, possibly only representing primary qualities [Audi,R]
2720 Sense-data (and the rival 'adverbial' theory) are to explain illusions and hallucinations [Audi,R]
6508 Sense-data leads to either representative realism or phenomenalism or idealism [Robinson,H]
4104 One can taste that the wine is sour, and one can also taste the sourness of the wine [Crane]
4105 The traditional supports for the sense datum theory were seeing double and specks before one's eyes [Crane]
2422 The structure of the retina has already simplified the colour information which hits it [Chalmers]
6452 'Sense-data' arrived in 1910, but it denotes ideas in Locke, Berkeley and Hume [Mautner]
7635 Sense-data have an epistemological purpose (foundations) and a metaphysical purpose (explanation) [Maund]