Single Idea 22413

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 2. Qualities in Perception / b. Primary/secondary]

Full Idea

What we should claim is that being red consists in looking red.

Gist of Idea

Being red simply consists in looking red

Source

Colin McGinn (Subjective View: sec qualities and indexicals [1983], 2)

Book Reference

McGinn,Colin: 'The Subjective View' [OUP 1983], p.6


A Reaction

A very nice simple account. There is more to being square than looking square (which may not even guarantee that it is square). That's the primary/secondary distinction in a nut shell. But red things don't look red in the dark. Sufficient, not necessary.

Related Idea

Idea 22414 You don't need to know how a square thing looks or feels to understand squareness [McGinn]