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Single Idea 6507

[from 'Perception' by Howard Robinson, in 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 8. Adverbial Theory ]

Full Idea

The defining claim of adverbialism is that the contents of sense-experience are modes, not objects, of sensory activity.

Clarification

Adverbs show how you do something (e.g. 'quickly'); a 'mode' is a way of doing something

Gist of Idea

Adverbialism sees the contents of sense-experience as modes, not objects

Source

Howard Robinson (Perception [1994], VII.5)

Book Reference

Robinson,Howard: 'Perception' [Routledge 2001], p.175


A Reaction

This seems quite a good account of simple 'modes' like colour, but not so good when you instantly perceive a house. It never seems wholly satisfactory to sidestep the question of 'what are you perceiving when you perceive red or square?'