Knowledge of the External World

Flashcards to help with Knowledge of the External World in Unit 2 of AQA AS Philosophy.

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What are two other names for common-sense realism?
Naive realism, Direct realism
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Outline two criticisms of naive realism.
It has been proven that people see different colours, therefore perception must affect experience. Train tracks can be seen to get smaller and thinner as they move further away into the distance, this is not the case.
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Outline two strengths of naive realism.
Sense-deception rarely occurs, the majority of sense-success outweighs sense-deception. Humans continue to function successfully in the world, suggesting we must perceive the world with great accuracy.
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Outline three characteristics of sense-data.
Sense-data is dependent on the perceiver, it can account for perceptual variation and are temporary - only exist as long as they are perceived.
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Illustrate two examples of sense-data.
Time-lag argument - seeing the sun (which could already be dead) eight minutes late. Seeing a table differently, in some lights it may be white, in others, brown.
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Give two criticisms of representative realism.
We can never experience the external world, as experience presents us with a veil of perception. It is difficult to know genuine knowledge, as there can be no way of checking someone else's private sense-data.
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How would a representative realist answer 'if a tree falls in a forest with nobody there to perceive it, would it make a sound?'
Yes and no. The noise is a secondary quality as it can produce an experience for humans, but there would be nobody there to perceive this subjective experience.
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Outline the Idealism theory of perception.
It is an anti-realist perception. The external world does not exist, objects are just collections of ideas.
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How does Berkley solve the problem of objects obeying the laws of nature although there is nobody there to perceive them?
The omniscient God is there to perceive everything, all of the time.
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How does the solution of God present more problems of idealism?
Idealism argues that we are the lone perceivers of the world, it is all in our minds. Therefore we must either be God, or have created the idea of God ourselves.
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Name and briefly describe the final theory of perception.
Phenomenalism - an extension of idealism. It has the same principles, except it is non-reliant on God. It claims that objects can continue to exist as they have the potential to be perceived.
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Give one example of phenomenalism.
An apple put in a drawer can be perceived by another person if they open the drawer, purely because it has the potential to be perceived.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Outline two criticisms of naive realism.

Back

It has been proven that people see different colours, therefore perception must affect experience. Train tracks can be seen to get smaller and thinner as they move further away into the distance, this is not the case.

Card 3

Front

Outline two strengths of naive realism.

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Outline three characteristics of sense-data.

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Illustrate two examples of sense-data.

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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