Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in PhilosophyRussell, Bertrand
Philosophy
Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy
Russell, Bertrand
Knowledge, Theory of; Logical atomism
Let us take the case of the blue spectacles, which is the simplest, but
may serve as a type for the others. The frame of the spectacles is of
course visible, but the blue glass, if it is clean, is not visible. The
blueness, which we say is in the glass, appears as being in the objects
seen through the glass. The glass itself is known by means of the sense
of touch. In order to know that it is between us and the objects seen
through it, we must know how to correlate the space of touch with the
space of sight. This correlation itself, when stated in terms of the
data of sense alone, is by no means a simple matter. But it presents no
difficulties of principle, and may therefore be supposed accomplished.
When it has been accomplished, it becomes possible to attach a meaning
to the statement that the blue glass, which we can touch, is between us
and the object seen, as we say, "through" it.
But we have still not reduced our statement completely to what is
actually given in sense. We have fallen into the assumption that the
object of which we are conscious when we touch the blue spectacles still
exists after we have ceased to touch them. So long as we are touching
them, nothing except our finger can be seen through the part touched,
which is the only part where we immediately know that there is
something. If we are to account for the blue appearance of objects other
than the spectacles, when seen through them, it might seem as if we must
assume that the spectacles still exist when we are not touching them;
and if this assumption really is necessary, our main problem is
answered: we have means of knowing of the present existence of objects
not given in sense, though of the same kind as objects formerly given in
sense.
It may be questioned, however, whether this assumption is actually
unavoidable, though it is unquestionably the most natural one to make.
We may say that the object of which we become aware when we touch the
spectacles continues to have effects afterwards, though perhaps it no
longer exists. In this view, the supposed continued existence of
sensible objects after they have ceased to be sensible will be a
fallacious inference from the fact that they still have effects. It is
often supposed that nothing which has ceased to exist can continue to
have effects, but this is a mere prejudice, due to a wrong conception of
causality. We cannot, therefore, dismiss our present hypothesis on the
ground of _a priori_ impossibility, but must examine further whether it
can really account for the facts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account