The generality problem of perception
F. Zahnoun, Luca Roccioletti, Erik Myin
European Journal of Philosophy July 5, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/ejop.12984 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
In the philosophy of perception, a central debate is whether perceptual experience has representational content—whether it always presents the world as being a certain way, evaluable for truth or accuracy. Representationalists affirm this, while relationalists challenge it with the generality problem of perception (GPP). This paper analyzes existing replies to the GPP and concludes that representationalists have not yet offered a convincing answer, and after nearly 20 years, the problem remains unresolved.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Philosophy |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Representationalists have not yet offered a convincing answer to the generality problem of perception, and after almost 20 years, the problem still stands. |
Abstract
Much of contemporary philosophy of perception revolves around the question of whether perceptual experience has representational content. On one side of the debate, we find representationalists claiming that perceptual experience is representational in that it always presents the world as being a certain way. Perceptual experience is therefore said to have content, which can be evaluated for truth or accuracy. Against the idea that perception has content, relationalists have leveled an argument based on the generality of content, which we shall here refer to as the generality problem of perception (GPP). We will analyze and assess existing replies to the GPP. Based on these analyses, we will conclude that representationalists have as yet not offered a convincing answer to the problem and that, after almost 20 years, the problem still stands.