Introductory description

In this module you will explore the problem of perception (that is, the problem of explaining how perception enables you to think about and act on the world around you) via an investigation into the nature of the different senses and of multi-sensory perception.

You will study recent theories of perception, which have been developed on the model of vision, and investigate whether and how they can be extended to the non-visual senses. In doing so you will cover questions about how we count and distinguish the senses (do we have five, or more than thirty as some have claimed?); about how we can tell that what we see is what we touch; you will examine a range of cross-modal illusions (there are many of these, including the parchment skin effect, where what you hear changes how your skin feels; the familiar ventriloquism illusion; a cross-modal interaction that explains why airline food tastes bad; and a trick to make stale crisps seem fresh) and ask what they tell us about the nature of multi-sensory perception and multi-sensory consciousness; you will examine the two senses of smell and their relation to flavour perception (and learn why the loss of smell is often devastating); and you will look in detail at the nature and character of the non-visual senses.

Over the last century, the philosophy (and psychology) of perception has focussed almost exclusively on visual perception. In recent years there has been a shift of focus - both within philosophy and in psychology and neuroscience - to consider the non-visual senses. Much that is new and surprising has been discovered. In this module you will learn about these recent developments and how they impact on our understanding of the nature of perception.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The list of topics below is indicative only. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Transparency and the content of visual experience. Does visual experience have content?

2. Distinguishing the senses. How many senses do we have, and how do we distinguish them?

3. Molyneux's Question. If perceptual experience is transparent, why is there a question for Molyneux? What is the question asking?

4. Cross-modal perception. How do the senses work together?

5. Multi-sensory perception. The unity of perceptual consciousness?

6. Smell, taste, and flavour.

7. The body and touch.

8. Hearing sounds

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Acquire a sophisticated and informed understanding of a the central problems of perception and the particular challenges presented by the non-visual senses;
• Acquire knowledge and understanding of the ways of responding to these questions offered by philosophers;
• Practice and enhance their written and oral communication skills by engaging in learning sessions and completing assessments;
• Practice and enhance their skills in independent research, analysis and presentation of primary source materials;
• Practice and enhance their skills in critical analysis of source materials with a high degree of complexity;
• Practice and enhance their ability to develop and defend their own philosophical arguments for philosophical positions.

Indicative reading list

Martin, M. 2002. ‘The transparency of experience’. Mind and Language 17 (4):376-425.

Speaks, Jeff 2009. ‘Transparency, Intentionalism, and the Nature of Perceptual Content’. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 79 (3):539-573.

Sorabji, R. 2011. ‘Aristotle on Demarcating the Five Senses’ in Fiona Macpherson, ed., The Senses

Grace, P. 2011. ‘Distinguishing the Senses’ in Fiona Macpherson, ed., The Senses

Locke, J. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, II, ix.

Evans, G. 1985. ‘Molyneux’s Question’, in Collected Papers.

Thomson, J. J. 1974. "Molyneux's Problem." The Journal of Philosophy 71.

Campbell, J. 1996. ‘Molyneux's Question’, Philosophical Issues, 7.

Levin, J. 2008. “Molyneux’s Question and the Individuation of Perceptual Concepts.” Philosophical Studies 139(1).

O'Callaghan. 2017 'Seeing what you hear' in Beyond Vision.

Briscoe, R. 2016. ‘Multisensory Processing and Perceptual Consciousness: Part I’. Philosophy Compass, 11.

Briscoe, R. 2017. ‘Multisensory Processing and Perceptual Consciousness: Part II’. Philosophy Compass, 12.

Macpherson, F. 2011. 'Cross-modal experiences'. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, CXI.

Tye, M. 2003. Consciousness and Persons, ch.1

Bayne, T. Unity of Consciousness.

Mizrahi, Vivian 2014. ‘Sniff, smell, and stuff’. Philosophical Studies 171 (2):233-250.

Batty, C. 2009. ‘What’s that smell?’ Southern Journal of Philosophy 47, 321-348.

Martin, M. ‘Sight and Touch’, in Fiona Macpherson, ed., The Senses

O'Shaughnessy, B (1989). ‘The sense of touch’. Australasian Journal of Philosophy 67 (1):37 – 58.

Fulkerson, M. 2011. ‘The unity of haptic touch’. Philosophical Psychology 24 (4):493 - 516.

Matthen, Mohan 2021. ‘Dual Structure of Touch: The Body vs. Peripersonal Space’. In Frédérique de Vignemont (ed.), The World at Our Fingertips.

Scruton, R. 2009. 'Sounds as secondary objects and pure events', in Nudds and O'Callaghan, eds., Sounds and Perception.

O'Callagan, C. 2009 'Sounds as events' in Nudds and O'Callaghan, eds., Sounds and Perception.

Kalderon, M. 2017. Sympathy in Perception, chs. 2 and 3.

Research element

Students will research their own examples of multi-sensory perception, particularly in the psychology literature, and show how they apply to the philosophical problems that they are addressing.

Interdisciplinary

Covers issues that are at the borderline between philosophy and psychology.

Subject specific skills

Students will be able to discuss clearly in speech and in writing the issues raised by their close reading and critical analysis of the set texts and materials. Students will be able to engage with these texts in a way that demonstrates relevant and appropriate philosophical and scholarly skills. Student will be able to critically evaluate the relevant secondary literature.

Students will be able to analyse and critically evaluate the key ideas and arguments presented in the primary texts and materials, and come to an independent assessment of their merits with the aid of relevant secondary literature. Students will acquire an understanding of central philosophical questions about perception and the responses to these questions offered by a range of thinkers.

Transferable skills

Students will practice and enhance skills in:

Analysis and reasoning
Written and verbal communication
Collaborative discussion
Problem solving
Research
Close reading of advanced texts