Aristotle on PerceptionStephen Everson presents a comprehensive new study of Aristotle's account of perception and related mental capacities. Recent debate about Aristotle's theory of mind has focused on this account, which is Aristotle's most sustained and detailed attempt to describe and explain the behaviour of living things. Everson places it in the context of Aristotle's natural science as a whole, showing how he applies the explanatory tools developed in other works to the study of perceptualcognition. Everson demonstrates that, contrary to the claims of many recent scholars, Aristotle is indeed concerned to explain perceptual activity as the activity of a living body, in terms of material changes in the organs which possess the various perceptual capacities. By emphasizing the unified natureof the perceptual system, Everson is able to explain how Aristotle accounts for our ability to perceive not only such things as colours and sounds but material objects in our environment.This rich and broad-ranging book will be essential reading not only for students of Aristotle's theory of mind but for all those concerned to understand the explanatory principles of his natural science. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Perception and its Proper Objects | 13 |
2 Perceptual Change and Material Change | 56 |
3 Proper Sensibles and Secondary Qualities | 103 |
4 The Perceptual System | 139 |
5 Perceptual Content | 187 |
6 Perception and Material Explanation | 229 |
Glossary | 289 |
291 | |
Index Locorum | 297 |
305 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ability able accept accidental activity actually affected agent allows alteration animal appear argument Aristotle Aristotle's aware become belief body bring capacity causal cause certainly cited claim clear colour comes common sensibles condition course defined definition determine discussion distinction distinguished exist experience explanation fact formal function further give given hauto icon individual instance involve kath kind knowledge least living material material changes matter mental merely nature necessary objects objects of perception occurs particular passage perceive perception perhaps phantasia physical picture possess possible present primary problem produce proper objects proper sensibles properties psuché psychological qualities question reading reason reference relation relevant requires respect role seems sense organs sight similar smell sort statue substance supervenience taken talk theory things thought tion touch true undergo understanding virtue whilst