Perception

Perception presents classic essays on the conceptual and theoretical problems in the study of vision. In a style that is accessible to the non-expert, the volume lays out core issues in the theory of vision and then sets up a dialogue on the topics among philosophers and psychologists, past and present.

• Offers an accessible introduction to perception through key readings.
• Presents a dialogue among philosophers and psychologists on the science of perception.
• Contains a comprehensive introduction and provides suggestions for further reading.
• Useful for readers interested in philosophy, psychology, cognitive science, computer vision, and visual science.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I: Historical Background

Introduction

1. From On The Soul
Aristotle

2. From An Essay Towards A New Theory Of Vision
George Berkeley

3. From Essays On The Intellectual Powers Of Man
Thomas Reid

4. From The Philosophy Of The Enlightenment
Ernst Cassirer

5. From Elements Of Physiology
Johannes Müller

6. From Treatise On Physiological Optics
Hermann Von Helmholtz

7. From Principles Of Gestalt Psychology
Kurt Koffka

Part II: The Senses

Introduction

8. From The Senses Considered As Perceptual Systems And The Ecological Approach To Visual Perception
James J. Gibson

9. From In And Out Of The Black Box
David W. Hamlyn

10. From Perception And Cognition
John Heil

11. From The Will
Brian O'Shaughnessy

12. From The Analysis Of Sensation
Ernst Mach

13. From Molyneux's Question
Michael J. Morgan

14. Molyneux's Question
Gareth Evans

Part III: Direct Versus Indirect Theories of Perception

Introduction

15. A Theory Of Direct Perception And From The Ecological Approach To Perception
James J. Gibson

16. How Direct Is Visual Perception?
Jerry A. Fodor and Zenon W. Pylyshyn

17. Inference In Perception
Irvin Rock

18. Is The Visual System As Smart As It Looks?
Patricia Smith Churchland

19. Tacit Assumptions In The Computational Study Of Vision
Simon Ullman

20. 'Why Do Things Look As They Do?'
William Epstein

Part IV: Perception and Conception

Introduction

21. Seeing, Believing, And Knowing
Fred Dretske

22. From Wittgenstein
Robert Fogelin

23. From Patterns Of Discovery
Norwood Russell Hanson

24. Analogue Content
Christopher Peacocke

25. Where Perceiving Ends And Thinking Begins
Elizabeth S. Spelke

26. Seeing Is Believing—Or Is It?
Daniel C. Dennett

Index

"Perception is an outstanding introduction to the conceptual and theoretical problems of visual perception. Robert Schwartz has integrated a well-balanced collection of clear and thought-provoking writings from influential philosophers and psychologists, extending from Aristotle to the present. Perception is essential reading for students of the philosophy and psychology of visual perception."
—Donald D. Hoffman, University of California, Irvine

"This anthology is unique in combining substantial readings in the psychology and philosophy of visual perception. Through judicious selection, it surveys the historical background from Aristotle to Koffka, then represents in depth the variety of contemporary issues and positions. It will serve as a strong backbone for courses in philosophy of perception or visual studies."
—Gary Hatfield, University of Pennsylvania

Robert Schwartz is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He is the author of Vision: Variations on Some Berkeleian Themes (Blackwell, 1994), and has published widely on issues in cognition and perception.

Perception presents classic essays on the conceptual and theoretical problems in the study of vision. In a style that is accessible to the non-expert, the volume lays out core issues in the theory of vision and then sets up a dialogue on the topics among philosophers and psychologists, past and present.

Perception provides the historical background on the important debates in this field, considers alternative accounts of the basis for the individuation of the senses, explores the controversy over whether perception is direct or indirect, and examines the difficulties and complexities of drawing a principled distinction between perception and conception.

This collection will interest anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of the complex problems of perception. It will also appeal to scholars in search of a compact collection of some of the best expository writing in this area.