Perception
By: Howard Robinson.
Series: Problems of philosophy; Problems of philosophy (Routledge (Firm))
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1994
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 260
Subjects: Perception (Philosophy)
Description: This book is not only an introduction to the philosophical debate on perception; it is also an original and provocative contribution to that debate.

Starting with Descartes and the empiricists, Howard Robinson surveys the historical and contemporary arguments for and against the sense-datum theory of perception. He reconsiders Wittgenstein's attack on privacy as well as the current physicalist approaches and concludes that their objections to the theory of sense-data are weak and easily countered. Representative realism and phenomenalism in particular successfully circumvent most of the traditional objections to the theory.

Against the current consensus in the philosophy of perception, Robinson argues that a strengthened version of the sense-datum theory can succeed. Perception will prove invaluable to students looking for an accessible introduction to the philosophy of perception and make provocative reading for academic philosophers.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 251-257) and index.