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Do Constancy Mechanisms Save Distal Content?

Authors :
Garson, Justin
Source :
Philosophical Quarterly. Apr2019, Vol. 69 Issue 275, p409-417. 9p.
Publication Year :
2019

Abstract

In this journal, Schulte develops a novel solution to the problem of distal content: by virtue of what is a mental representation about a distal object (say, a snake) rather than a more proximal cause of that representation (say, a snake-shaped retinal impression)? Schulte maintains that in order for a (sensory-perceptual) representation to have a distal content, it must be produced by a constancy mechanism, along with two other conditions. I raise three objections to his solution. First, a core component of Schulte's solution is just a restrictive version of Dretske's solution, but Schulte gives no argument for his restriction. Second, his proposed solution to a disjunction problem (his 'naturalness' condition) is ad hoc. Finally, his 'far-out' version of the distality problem is not a version of the distality problem at all. I conclude that Dretske's solution is preferable to Schulte's. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00318094
Volume :
69
Issue :
275
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Philosophical Quarterly
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
135497468
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/pq/pqy032