Bloomsbury Academic An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10018 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com BLOOMSBURY and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published 2017 © Ali Hasan, 2017 Ali Hasan has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the Author of this work. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or the author. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: HB: 978-1-4725-3495-8 PB: 978-1-4725-2659-5 ePDF: 978-1-4725-3353-1 ePub: 978-1-4725-2657-1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Hasan, Ali M., 1974- Title: A critical introduction to the epistemology of perception / Ali Hasan. Description: New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2017. | Series: Bloomsbury critical introductions to contemporary epistemology ; 8 | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016038202| ISBN 9781472534958 (hb) | ISBN 9781472533531 (epdf) Subjects: LCSH: Perception (Philosophy) | Knowledge, Theory of. Classification: LCC B828.45 .H37 2017 | DDC 121/.34--dc23 LC record available at https:// lccn.loc.gov/2016038202 Series: Bloomsbury Critical Introductions to Contemporary Epistemology Cover design: Louise Dugdale Cover image © Philip Habib/Gallerystock Typeset by Fakenham Prepress Solutions, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NN A Critical Introduction to the Epistemology of Perception BLOOMSBURY CRITICAL INTRODUCTIONS TO CONTEMPORARY EPISTEMOLOGY Series Editor: Stephen Hetherington, Professor of Philosophy, The University of New South Wales, Australia Editorial Board: Claudio de Almeida, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Richard Fumerton, The University of Iowa, USA; John Greco, Saint Louis University, USA; Jonathan Kvanvig, Baylor University, USA; Ram Neta, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA; Duncan Pritchard, The University of Edinburgh, UK Bloomsbury Critical Introductions to Contemporary Epistemology introduces and advances the central topics within one of the most dynamic areas of contemporary philosophy. Each critical introduction provides a comprehensive survey to an important epistemic subject, covering the historical, methodological, and practical contexts and exploring the major approaches, theories, and debates. By clearly illustrating the changes to the ways human knowledge is being studied, each volume places an emphasis on the historical background and makes important connections between contemporary issues and the wider history of modern philosophy. Designed for use on contemporary epistemology courses, the introductions are defined by a clarity of argument and equipped with easy-to-follow chapter summaries, annotated guides to reading, and glossaries to facilitate and encourage further study. This series is ideal for upper-level undergraduates and postgraduates wishing to stay informed of the thinkers, issues, and arguments shaping twenty-first century epistemology. Titles in the series include: A Critical Introduction to the Epistemology of Memory, Thomas D. Senor A Critical Introduction to Knowledge-How, J. Adam Carter and Ted Poston A Critical Introduction to Formal Epistemology, Darren Bradley A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism, Paul Dicken A Critical Introduction to Skepticism, Allan Hazlett A Critical Introduction to Testimony, Axel Gelfert A Critical Introduction to the Epistemology of Perception ALI HASAN Bloomsbury Academic An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc For my father, Majed Hasan (1950–2011), and my mother, Jamilla AlQaseer vi Contents Preface viii 1 Skepticism and foundationalism in early modern philosophy 1 2 Realism, idealism, and common sense 13 3 Perceptual experience 31 4 An introduction to contemporary epistemology 53 5 Coherentism 73 6 Abductivism 85 7 Phenomenal conservatism 101 8 Access internalism, mentalism, and reliabilism 117 9 Epistemological disjunctivism 137 Conclusion 149 Notes 155 References 163 Index 171 Preface This book offers an introduction to the epistemology of perception intended for students with some exposure to philosophy, but who may be unfamiliar with the epistemology of perception, or with metaphysical or epistemological debates in general. The book is heavily influenced by survey courses I have taught in epistemology, at various levels, and by upper-level courses focused on the epistemology of perception. I find in these contexts that the students benefit greatly from having both (i) accessible, relatively short but critical discussions of the relevant backgrounds, theories, central principles, and arguments, coupled with (ii) primary readings and articles. The book was written with this in mind, and so is best paired with readings for each chapter. Each chapter ends with some suggestions for further reading, and questions for reflection and discussion. My intention is to present the material in an informative, clear and acces- sible manner, without too much technical detail. But I also wanted to provoke the reader, and for this reason I do not shy away from criticism and contro- versy, and from letting my own voice enter the text now and again, while leaving a number of dialectical or argumentative routes open for students to pursue on their own. Given the immense and growing size of the literature in the field and the many important and fascinating issues within it, I have had to be somewhat selective, both in terms of what theories and themes to focus on, and in terms of the particular arguments and objections to discuss. There are major, recurring themes throughout, and enough of an overall narrative and structure that the reader should, I hope, be able to see the forest and navigate a bit better through the trees. The examination of debates in the epistemology of perception is preceded by an overview of (i) some background to epistemological and (to a lesser extent) metaphysical problems of perception in early modern philosophy (Chapters 1 and 2), (ii) theories of perceptual experience (Chapter 3), and (iii) some central questions and controversies in epistemology (Chapter 4). This prepares readers unfamiliar with the relevant history, key concepts, and related debates in epistemology and the philosophy of mind. More experienced readers can review parts of the background more selectively, depending on their needs and interests, and jump ahead to the chapters on contemporary theories in the epistemology of perception. 9781472534958_txt_print.indd 8 21/09/2016 16:11 PREfACE ix Each of the chapters on epistemological theories clarifies, motivates, and evaluates the theory, highlighting its answers to some of the following questions: Are perceptual beliefs justified, and if so, in virtue of what are they justified? Can the theory accommodate foundational beliefs about the external world? Does it capture the internalist intuition that a belief must depend for its justification on the subject’s possession of or access to reasons in favor of its truth? Does it preserve the intuitive idea that epistemic justification is tightly connected to the truth? Does it provide a satisfactory response to the skeptical challenge, one that takes skepticism seriously without acceding to it? Each theory examined yields intuitive, positive answers to some of these questions, but has difficulty with others. I would like to thank my family and friends, colleagues and students, who have helped make this book possible. I am grateful to my teachers at the University of Washington in Seattle, where I began to work on issues in the epistemology of perception as a graduate student, especially Larry BonJour, Ann Baker, Andrea Woody, and Bill Talbott; and to colleagues and students at the University of Iowa, with whom I have discussed many of the topics covered here—especially Richard Fumerton, who also provided helpful comments on an earlier draft. I would also like to thank Andrew Wardell and Colleen Coalter at Bloomsbury, and the series editor, Stephen Hetherington, for their encouragement and flexibility; and an anonymous reviewer for detailed comments and suggestions. I am also grateful to Sarah McElligott for all her patience and support; to my children Leila, Elyas, and Jude, for being the best of distractions, and for providing lovely and vital time away from work. I would also like to thank Jennifer Kayle for providing me with much love and support when I most desperately needed it. 9781472534958_txt_print.indd 9 21/09/2016 16:11