Single Idea 2785

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 7. Causal Perception]

Full Idea

A perceptual belief that p can have as its main cause the fact that p. More general facts (all men are mortal; e=mc2) cannot be the main cause of my belief, even if they do function causally in some way.

Gist of Idea

Perceptual beliefs may be directly caused, but generalisations can't be

Source

Jonathan Dancy (Intro to Contemporary Epistemology [1985], 11.5)

Book Reference

Dancy,Jonathan: 'Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology' [Blackwell 1985], p.178


A Reaction

Note that the perceptual belief can be the "main" cause; it seems to me that most beliefs are caused by judgements, though I may normally accept beliefs which are directly caused by perception, if I have no reason to challenge them.