Making Use of Perception

Lisa Miracchi (University of Pennsylvania)

Perceiving Properties in a World of Objects is a philosophical project pursuing an integrated approach to property perception.

Our project is hosting an online seminar series this autumn. The next talk in the series is:

Lisa Miracchi (University of Pennsylvania), “Making Use of Perception” Nov. 19th (3:30 pm GMT/10:30 am EST)

Abstract:

"I will argue that conceptualizing the paradigmatic proper epistemic relation between experience and belief as an evidential relationship unduly distorts our understanding of the rational role of experience and correspondingly of the nature of experience and belief. Belief is not something cognitively "inner" with respect to perception that receives deliverances and chastising from a more worldly faculty. Instead, I will argue for a novel treatment of the paradigmatic epistemic relation between perception and knowledge on which the epistemic agent uses perception in aiming to know. Knowledge is just one among many ends agents can recruit perception in the service of, for example bicycle riding or painting, or more traditionally considered "cognitive" activities such as counting and reading. On this agential account, both perception and knowledge are purposeful engagements with the world and the agent uses the former as a (partial) means towards the latter. I explain how this account allows for more realistic and more diverse views of perceptual content, and how it helps us to better understand conceptualization as a substantive process."

The talk will be hosted online on Zoom. The online meeting code for the seminar series will be emailed to interested participants. Accessing a meeting requires logging in with an ordinary or an institutional Zoom account.

Express an interest here:

https://perceivingproperties.wixsite.com/home/online-seminar

Our schedule for the rest of 2020 is as follows:

Dec 11 (3 pm GMT/10 am EST): Farid Masrour (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Dec 18 (3 pm GMT/10 am EST): Adam Pautz (Brown University)