[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:05.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(intro music)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.84,0:00:08.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi! I'm Eugen Fischer, senior lecturer in
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.27,0:00:10.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,philosophy at the University of East Anglia.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.41,0:00:13.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Today, we will look at some\Nparadoxes about perception,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.17,0:00:15.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,known as "arguments from illusion."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.27,0:00:19.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These arguments ask us to consider\Ncases of non-veridical perception,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.85,0:00:22.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where something appears\Ndifferent than it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.51,0:00:28.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, when we look at round\Ncoins sideways, they appear elliptical.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.33,0:00:31.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Similarly, when seen from a\Ngreater distance, a man may
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.72,0:00:35.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seem less than half as tall as another\Nman of roughly equal height.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.50,0:00:38.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or consider the phenomenon\Nknown as "refraction."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.18,0:00:40.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When a straight straw is partially
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.16,0:00:42.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,immersed in water, it looks bent.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.36,0:00:45.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of these facts are\Nfamiliar from daily life.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.03,0:00:47.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,None of them is normally contested.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.08,0:00:50.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But these familiar facts seem to\Nhave a striking consequence.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.51,0:00:53.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They seem to imply that\Nwe are cut off from the
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.12,0:00:57.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,physical objects around us by\Na veil of experience within us.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.03,0:01:01.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The eighteenth-century philosopher David\NHume drew this consequence very swiftly
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.24,0:01:03.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when reflecting on another relevant fact:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.70,0:01:07.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as we all know, the table look\Nsmaller and smaller to people
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.19,0:01:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the further away the move from it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.03,0:01:11.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hume observes that the\Ntable we see seems to
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.79,0:01:16.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,get smaller as we move away from it, yet\Nthere is no change in the size of the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.50,0:01:20.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,real table, which is made of wood and\Nstands in the parlor, regardless of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.76,0:01:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether we look at it or not.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.48,0:01:25.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hume immediately infers that\Nwe cannot be aware of this
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.88,0:01:30.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unchanging, real table, and therefore\Nmust be aware of something else.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.28,0:01:34.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He concludes that thing we\Nsee is an image of the table,\N
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.13,0:01:37.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whose size does change as we\Nmove away from the table.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.99,0:01:41.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This image then is present\Nto us in our minds.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.09,0:01:43.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, when you look at the table,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.64,0:01:48.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you are only aware of a mental\Nimage, not of the physical table.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.24,0:01:51.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To unpack this rather swift but\Nhistorically influential argument,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.95,0:01:53.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let's have a closer look at the case of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.79,0:01:58.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the round coin that appears elliptical\Nto you when you look at it sideways.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.09,0:02:00.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What exactly are you\Naware of in this case?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.52,0:02:02.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Describe your experience, rather\Nthan the objects around you.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.10,0:02:05.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Describe what you are aware of,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.45,0:02:09.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without making any judgment about the\Nphysical object you're facing, without
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.61,0:02:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,judging that object's shape, or size,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.48,0:02:14.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or color, or any other\Nproperty of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.83,0:02:17.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That the right thing to\Nsay then, it seems,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.01,0:02:20.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that you're aware of an\Nelliptical, golden patch.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.87,0:02:23.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This judgment is often called\Nthe "phenomenal judgment."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.87,0:02:26.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first step the argument elicits such
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.57,0:02:28.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,phenomenal judgments about cases of
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.83,0:02:32.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,non-veridical perception, like that\Nof the coin or Hume's table.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.87,0:02:37.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second step has us figure out what\Nkind of thing we're then aware of.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.15,0:02:39.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What could that elliptical patch be?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.58,0:02:43.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It cannot be the coin, because the\Ncoin is round and not elliptical.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.67,0:02:47.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you're clearly aware of\Nsomething other than the coin.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.34,0:02:50.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hume called this other thing an "image."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.19,0:02:54.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A now more common, and more\Nneutral term, is "sense-datum."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.57,0:02:56.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now continue to look in\Nthe direction of the coin.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.97,0:02:58.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How many different things do you see?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.94,0:03:01.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How many different things\Ncan you direct your
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.16,0:03:03.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,attention at and say\Nthat you are aware of?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.69,0:03:07.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Clearly, you cannot first direct your\Nattention at something elliptical and
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.56,0:03:09.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then shift your attention elsewhere to
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.96,0:03:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,become aware of something\Nelse that could be the coin.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.56,0:03:16.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you are aware only\Nof one thing, not of two.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.67,0:03:20.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We already concluded that you\Nare aware the sense-datum.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.44,0:03:23.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Therefore, you cannot be\Naware of the coin too.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.26,0:03:27.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At any rate, not in the same way or sense.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.10,0:03:31.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But of course you are aware\Nof the coin in some sense.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.38,0:03:33.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know perfectly well that you are
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.37,0:03:37.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,looking at a coin rather than,\Nsay, a marble or a dice.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.14,0:03:41.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Proponents of the argument from illusion\Ntherefore commonly called the cautious
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.63,0:03:45.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,conclusion that the subjective sense-datum\Nis the only thing you are directly aware of
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.56,0:03:48.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when looking at the coin sideways.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.20,0:03:51.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the same time, you may be indirectly
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.44,0:03:53.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,aware of the physical object, namely,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.67,0:03:57.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in virtue of being directly\Naware of the sense-datum.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.65,0:04:00.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So far, we have rehearsed the\Nfirst half of the argument.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.95,0:04:05.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second half then generalizes from\Nthe particular case of non-veridical
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.48,0:04:08.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,perception to all cases of perception.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.51,0:04:10.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This generalizing step builds on the
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.99,0:04:13.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,observation that sense data and physical
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.12,0:04:17.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,objects are the most radically\Ndifferent kinds of things.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.27,0:04:21.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a start, the sense-datum is\Nrather less stable than the coin.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.39,0:04:24.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The color patch changes its\Nshape the moment you move,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.99,0:04:27.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while the coin retains its shape.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.05,0:04:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The sense-datum also vanishes the moment\Nyou close your eyes, while the coin vanishes
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.70,0:04:34.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,only the moment it gets melted down,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.91,0:04:38.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or some other major physical\Nmishap occurs to it.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.12,0:04:43.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the sense-datum and its properties\Ndepend upon you, the observer,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.30,0:04:48.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in ways in which the physical\Nobject and its properties do not.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.59,0:04:51.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sense data are subjective, ever-changing,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.48,0:04:55.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and fleeting, like the flickering\Nof a candle or its dying smoke.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.86,0:04:57.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Physical objects, by contrast, are
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.98,0:05:01.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,objective and stable, like\Nsolid tables and hard coins.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.90,0:05:04.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the intuitive key assumption now is
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.30,0:05:07.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that our awareness of such radically\Ndifferent things should
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.98,0:05:11.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,constitute qualitatively\Ndifferent experiences.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.14,0:05:14.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We should be able to tell from\Nthe subjective quality of our
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.48,0:05:19.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,experience whether we are aware of a\Nsense-datum or of a physical object.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.33,0:05:20.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But compare.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.33,0:05:23.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Have a look at this pencil, which\Nis partially immersed in water.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.85,0:05:26.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To most people, it seems bent.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.22,0:05:28.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you are like them, you are now directly
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.85,0:05:33.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,aware of a sense-datum or color\Npatch, which actually is bent.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.06,0:05:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now look at the pencil in the dry,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.29,0:05:38.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it looks as straight\Nas it actually is.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.51,0:05:40.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Can you tell any difference between the
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.42,0:05:43.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subjective quality of one\Nexperience and the other?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.51,0:05:48.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Does one scene look, say, follier to\Nyou, or less clear, or more vivid?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.51,0:05:53.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Philosophers who find they cannot grow\Naware of any such difference like to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.51,0:05:58.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,conclude that we must be aware of\Nthe same kind of thing in both cases.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.61,0:06:02.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, if we are directly aware\Nof a subjective sense-datum
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.10,0:06:04.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the case of non-veridical perception,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.34,0:06:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such a sense-datum is what\Nwe are directly aware of
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.06,0:06:09.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,also in the case of veridical perception.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.95,0:06:12.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When we use our eyes, all we are ever
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.86,0:06:15.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,directly aware of are\Nsubjective sense-data.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.61,0:06:19.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By sight, we are never directly\Naware of physical objects.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.53,0:06:22.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As we look around ourselves, we are cut
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.37,0:06:24.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,off from the physical objects\Nin our environment
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.46,0:06:27.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by a veil of subjective sense-data.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.30,0:06:30.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other variants of the argument establish
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.13,0:06:35.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,analogous conclusions about the other\Nsenses: hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.69,0:06:39.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some other arguments, including\Narguments from hallucination,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.30,0:06:42.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lead from different premises\Nto the same conclusions.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.43,0:06:46.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These conclusions seem to\Nclash with common sense.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.02,0:06:50.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Surely, when we look at tables and\Nchairs, we see these public, stable,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.63,0:06:53.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,physical objects without further ado.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.14,0:06:55.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Surely, these objects are not blocked
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.94,0:06:59.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from view by subjective, ever-changing\Nobjects of awareness.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.94,0:07:03.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Surely, we can just see tables and chairs,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.80,0:07:07.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without having to infer their\Npresence around us from
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.84,0:07:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subjective images, sense-data,\Nor what have you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.01,0:07:15.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By leading to a conclusion that clashes\Nwith our common sense conception
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.68,0:07:17.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of perception, all these arguments
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.75,0:07:22.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,confront us with what is often simply\Ncalled the "problem of perception."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.09,0:07:24.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't doubt that things sometimes
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.78,0:07:27.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,appear elliptical, yellow,\Nbitter, or rough
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.78,0:07:32.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when they actually are round,\Nwhite, sweet, or smooth.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.01,0:07:33.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The present argument suggests
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.93,0:07:36.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this implies that we cannot just see
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.16,0:07:41.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or hear, smell or taste, or\Nfeel the things around us\N\N
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.18,0:07:45.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This raises the problem: how is it\Npossible for us to just see, or
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.66,0:07:48.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,otherwise perceive, the things\Nin our physical environment
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.79,0:07:51.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if these things often appear\Ndifferent than they are?