A Theory of Sentience'A Theory of Sentience is as valuable for the questions it opens up as for the positive theory it puts forward. Austen Clark has brought to our attention a way of thinking about the details of sensory experience which opens up possibilities for fruitful interaction between philosophy, pscychophysics and the neurosciences. It is refreshing to read an exploration of sensory experience which fixes the terrain of investigation firmly within the actual world and which works hard to define tractable problems based around the basic, but often neglected, truth that sensory experience is sensory experience of a three-dimensional environment.' -Mind'There is much of interest to cognitive scientists working on the intentionality of sensation.' -Barbara Montero, Times Literary SupplementAusten Clark presents a ground-breaking philosophical theory of sentience, drawing on and illuminating an abundance of scientific work on this subject. Sensation is one of the fundamental elements of consciousness, but has generally been assigned a lowly place in the mental hierarchy; Clark's rich, lucid, and original study restores it to its due prominence. A Theory of Sentience will be compelling reading for all who work on the interaction of mind and world. |
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after-image appearance auditory azimuth barn owl capacities causal centimetres characterize cheep chromatic colour constancy colour vision coordinate scheme correctness conditions cortex demonstrative identification describe detect dimensions of variation distinct double echo edges episodes example eyes fact feature maps feature-placing field of view function green identify instances itch language look Lycan mapping rules matte mechanisms metamers nervous system neurons object opponent process orange Otto senses particular qualitative patch perceived perception Perhaps phenomenal properties physical pick place-time portion predicates presented problem projection qualitative character qualitative properties qualitatively identical quality space receptive fields receptors red square relations represent representation requires retina sensation sense-data sense-datum sensory identification sensory processes sensory qualities sensory reference sensory systems sentence sentience somaesthetic sound space-time regions spatial discrimination spatio-temporal square stimuli Strawson structure Suppose surface target theory things tion veridical visual field wavelength yellow yield