Philosophy 136

The philosophy of perception is a microcosm of the metaphysics of mind. Its central problems – What is perception? What is the nature of perceptual consciousness? How can one fit an account of perceptual experience into a broader account of the nature of the mind and the world? – are problems at the heart of metaphysics. It is often justifiably said that the theory of perception (and especially vision) is the area of psychology and neuroscience that has made the greatest progress in recent years. Despite this progress, or perhaps because of it, philosophical problems about perception retain a great urgency, both for philosophy and for science.

Course readings: Vision and Mind: Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Perception, by Alva Noe and Evan Thompson (MIT Press), 2002. Readings on Color, Vol. 1, by Alex Byrne and David Hilbert (MIT Press), 1997. Sense and Sensibilia, by J. L. Austin, Oxford University Press. On Sight and Insight, by John M. Hull, Oneworld Publications Ltd. Recommended Text: The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception, by J. J. Gibson, Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc.