more from Bertrand Russell

Single Idea 6469

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 4. Sense Data / d. Sense-data problems]

Full Idea

One reason often alleged for the subjectivity of sense-data is that the appearance of a thing itself may change when we find it hard to suppose that the thing itself has changed - as when we shut our eyes, or screw them up to make things look double.

Gist of Idea

Sense-data may be subjective, if closing our eyes can change them

Source

Bertrand Russell (The Relation of Sense-Data to Physics [1914], §VIII)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Mysticism and Logic' [Unwin 1989], p.157


A Reaction

Russell firmly denies that they are subjective. These examples are also said to support to proposed existence of sense-data in the first place, since they show the gap between appearance and reality.