Single Idea 3900

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

Full Idea

Armstrong has argued that experience, as normally understood, is not necessary to perception. To perceive is to acquire beliefs, through a causal process.

Clarification

This makes non-conscious perception a possibility

Gist of Idea

Maybe experience is not essential to perception, but only to the causing of beliefs

Source

report of David M. Armstrong (Belief Truth and Knowledge [1973]) by Roger Scruton - Modern Philosophy:introduction and survey 23.4

Book Reference

Scruton,Roger: 'Modern Philosophy: introduction and survey' [Sinclair-Stevenson 1994], p.336