HOW CONVINCING IS INDIRECT REALISM? (25 marks)
(pink = out of spec content)
LOA: Convincing
CR: Primary Vs Secondary Qualities
INTRO: Indirect realism is a theory which claims that the immediate objects of perception
are sense data, which is caused by and represents mind independent external objects,
meaning we perceive the external physical world indirectly through sense data. This is a
good theory, because it replies to all the objections to direct realism, such as perceptual
variation, and it explains the difference between primary and secondary qualities. However,
its main issue is that it leads to scepticism about the nature and existence of mind
independent objects and the external world, since we have no direct access to them.
Overall, I will argue that indirect realism is a convincing theory, which best explains how we
gain knowledge through perception. The crucial reason for this is Locke’s primary and
secondary quality distinction, which is supported by science, and shows that secondary
qualities are not experienced in the same way as they exist in the external world, so they
must be perceived indirectly through sense data.
PARA 1 - PERCEPTUAL VARIATION:
P) Perceptual Variation shows Sense Data is Direct, which Resembled Objects
A) Berkeley: Mind-Dependent Sense Data Can’t Be Like Mind Independent Objects
C) It Can Represent External Objects
E) Strong Response
PARA 2 - PRIMARY VS SECONDARY QUALITIES (CR) & SCEPTICISM ISSUE:
P) Locke’s Primary Vs Secondary Distinction
A) Scepticism about Existence of External World
C) (Summarise Russell’s Best Hypothesis) + Locke’s Involuntary Nature of Experience
R) Dreams > Not as Strong tho
E) Strong Response
PARA 3 - COHERENCE OF SENSES RESPONSE:
A) Scepticism about Nature of Mind Independent objects
C) (Summarise Weak Responses) + Locke: Coherence of Senses
R) Molyneux Problem
E) Cockburns Development
E) Strong Response and Defense of Indirect Realism
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, I think that indirect realism is a convincing theory of
perception, because it successfully responds to issues from scepticism, especially through
Cockburn’s argument about the coherence of senses. The crucial argument for indirect
realism is the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, which makes it clear that
secondary qualities don’t exist in the real world as we perceive them. Therefore, we perceive
secondary qualities indirectly through sense data, which represents them, making indirect
realism a convincing theory.
(pink = out of spec content)
LOA: Convincing
CR: Primary Vs Secondary Qualities
INTRO: Indirect realism is a theory which claims that the immediate objects of perception
are sense data, which is caused by and represents mind independent external objects,
meaning we perceive the external physical world indirectly through sense data. This is a
good theory, because it replies to all the objections to direct realism, such as perceptual
variation, and it explains the difference between primary and secondary qualities. However,
its main issue is that it leads to scepticism about the nature and existence of mind
independent objects and the external world, since we have no direct access to them.
Overall, I will argue that indirect realism is a convincing theory, which best explains how we
gain knowledge through perception. The crucial reason for this is Locke’s primary and
secondary quality distinction, which is supported by science, and shows that secondary
qualities are not experienced in the same way as they exist in the external world, so they
must be perceived indirectly through sense data.
PARA 1 - PERCEPTUAL VARIATION:
P) Perceptual Variation shows Sense Data is Direct, which Resembled Objects
A) Berkeley: Mind-Dependent Sense Data Can’t Be Like Mind Independent Objects
C) It Can Represent External Objects
E) Strong Response
PARA 2 - PRIMARY VS SECONDARY QUALITIES (CR) & SCEPTICISM ISSUE:
P) Locke’s Primary Vs Secondary Distinction
A) Scepticism about Existence of External World
C) (Summarise Russell’s Best Hypothesis) + Locke’s Involuntary Nature of Experience
R) Dreams > Not as Strong tho
E) Strong Response
PARA 3 - COHERENCE OF SENSES RESPONSE:
A) Scepticism about Nature of Mind Independent objects
C) (Summarise Weak Responses) + Locke: Coherence of Senses
R) Molyneux Problem
E) Cockburns Development
E) Strong Response and Defense of Indirect Realism
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, I think that indirect realism is a convincing theory of
perception, because it successfully responds to issues from scepticism, especially through
Cockburn’s argument about the coherence of senses. The crucial argument for indirect
realism is the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, which makes it clear that
secondary qualities don’t exist in the real world as we perceive them. Therefore, we perceive
secondary qualities indirectly through sense data, which represents them, making indirect
realism a convincing theory.
