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Recent issues in high‐level perception
Author(s) -
Helton Grace
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
philosophy compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.973
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 1747-9991
DOI - 10.1111/phc3.12383
Subject(s) - sketch , perception , psychology , action (physics) , cognitive psychology , social psychology , epistemology , computer science , philosophy , physics , algorithm , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
Recently, several theorists have proposed that we can perceive a range of high‐level features , including natural kind features (e.g., being a lemur ), artifactual features (e.g., being a mandolin ), and the emotional features of others (e.g., being surprised ). I clarify the claim that we perceive high‐level features and suggest one overlooked reason this claim matters: it would dramatically expand the range of actions perception‐based theories of action might explain. I then describe the influential phenomenal contrast method of arguing for high‐level perception and discuss some of the objections that have been raised against this strategy. Finally, I describe two emerging defenses of high‐level perception, one of which appeals to a certain class of perceptual deficits and one of which appeals to adaptation effects. I sketch a challenge for the latter approach.