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Single Idea 6451

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

Full Idea

In the case of vision, sense data are a kind of inner picture show which itself only indirectly represents aspects of the external world.

Gist of Idea

Visual sense data are an inner picture show which represents the world

Source

Simon Blackburn (Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy [1994], p.347)

Book Ref

Blackburn,Simon: 'Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy' [OUP 1996], p.347


A Reaction

I'm unsure whether this is correct. Russell says the 'roughness' of the table is the sense datum. If it is even a possibility that there are unsensed sense-data, then they cannot be an aspect of the mind, as Blackburn is suggesting they are.


The 10 ideas from Simon Blackburn

If we are told the source of necessity, this seems to be a regress if the source is not already necessary [Blackburn]
If something underlies a necessity, is that underlying thing necessary or contingent? [Blackburn, by Hale/Hoffmann,A]
The main objection to intuitionism in ethics is that intuition is a disguise for prejudice or emotion [Blackburn]
Critics of prescriptivism observe that it is consistent to accept an ethical verdict but refuse to be bound by it [Blackburn]
A true belief might be based on a generally reliable process that failed on this occasion [Blackburn]
Visual sense data are an inner picture show which represents the world [Blackburn]
Some philosophers always want more from morality; for others, nature is enough [Blackburn]
The word 'respect' ranges from mere non-interference to the highest levels of reverence [Blackburn]
Akrasia is intelligible in hindsight, when we revisit our previous emotions [Blackburn]
Asserting a necessity just expresses our inability to imagine it is false [Blackburn]