Direct/Naive Realism

Direct/Naive Realism

1. The common sense view: the world is as it appears to our senses

   • All objects are composed of matter, occupy space & have properties which are perceived directly by the senses
     • E.g. The tree which falls in the forest does make a sound regardless of whether or not anyone hears it
   • CRIT (Perspective): The gap between railway lines appears to narrow into the distance-the world cannot be as it seems
   • CRIT(Lag in time): From afar, it seems as if there is a gap between the ball being hit and it making a sound
   • CRIT(Hallucinations): We cannot differ between real perception & hallucination
     • RESP: We can refer to a friend to tell when we hallucinate. Hallucinations are clearly just a part of the world
       • CRIT: We may all be under a distorted view of the world , meaning we cannot call to the testimony of others e.g. matrix
   • CRIT(Circular Justification): 'How do you know the world is as it appears?' - 'Because it appears that way'
     • Using the world's appearance to justify saying it is how it is not a strong argument

2. Prmary/Secondary Qualities

   • Primary: Real/Physical qualities e.g. shape/geometery
     • They are mathematically measurable whilst secondaries are not. Position of one object in relation to another can be described easily whilst tastes and smells must be described with reference to other secondary qualities
     • Primary qualities are essential to objects whilst secondary qualities are not. Inessential qualities are those you can imagine an object without
       • E.g. A batchelor would still be a batchelor if he was bald, whilst he would stop being a batchelor if he were to marry
         • After subtraacting all the secondary qualities from 'apple' ie hardness, colour, smell etc., we are still thinking of the object 'apple'
           • We fail to imagine the apple when we subtract its size & shape
   • Secondary: Subjectively-experienced qualities e.g. heat. The subjective measure of hot cannot be subtracted from cold