This unit explores in greater detail the epistemological account of knowledge that is empiricism. It raises both epistemological and metaphysical questions concerning the nature and extent of human experience.
Material covered in this theme complements issues raised in the textual study of Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding in Unit 4. It also affords a useful introduction to some of the thematic units in A2, in particular epistemology and metaphysics.
The issues to be covered are:
Realism
- What are the immediate objects of perception? Do physical objects have the properties we perceive in them? Is the common-sense view naïve? Do sceptical arguments cast doubt on the common-sense view?
- The secondary qualities thesis: does this establish that only the primary qualities of objects are objectively real? Characteristics of primary and secondary qualities.
- Do sceptical arguments establish the sense-data theory? Examples of sceptical arguments: illusion, perceptual variation, science inspired arguments, time lags. Differences between sense-data and physical objects.
- Could we know of a relation between sense-data and physical objects? Could the existence of the external world be a hypothesis?
- Should physical objects be regarded as collections of ideas/sense-data? Are there good reasons for accepting idealism, eg solving the problem of material substance, consistency with empiricism, no linking problem?
- Inherent difficulties with idealism: problem of unperceived objects, availability of simpler, more systematic alternatives and confusion in the use of the term ‘idea’.
