Philosophy 2500F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Direct And Indirect Realism, Phenomenalism, Solipsism

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 2500F/G
• Professor: Steve Bland

Document Summary

Now we will consider the epistemological question of whether or not we can know that there exists an external world. We do not have direct epistemic access to the externl world but only to ideas (sense data) Is there a world of things that causes my idedas and if so what is it like. The epistemological question of whether or not we can know that there exists an external world is stimulated by sceptical considerations. The sceptic maintains that we cannot know that there exists an external world that resemvles the world that we percei e. If our empirical evidence cannot rule out these sceptical hypotheses then we cannot have knowledge of the external world. In proof of an external world and a defence of common sense ge moore offers a particularist response to the skeptical argument. Because moore cannot rule out such possivilities he is not justi ed in believing that he has two hands.