On Perceiving Continuity: the Role of Memory in the Perception of the Continuity of the Same Things
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On Perceiving Continuity: the Role of Memory in the Perception of the Continuity of the Same Things Mika Suojanen 1 Received: 3 December 2018 / Revised: 3 December 2018 / Accepted: 4 February 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract Theories of philosophy of perception are too simplifying. Direct realism and representationalism, for example, are philosophical theories of perception about the nature of the perceived object and its location. It is common sense to say that we directly perceive, through our senses, physical objects together with their properties. However, if perceptual experience is representational, it only appears that we directly perceive the represented physical objects. Despite psychological studies concerning the role of memory in perception, what these two philosophical theories do not explicate are the continuity of the external describable object and the role of memory in perceiving the continuity, difference, break or ending. Using empirical evidence of particular cases and the hypothetico-deductive model, this research article analyses how one is able to perceive the continuity of same things. The early stages of perceptual process are not sufficient for the perception of continuity. Empirical evidence of memory disorders shows that persons with a memory disorder do not perceive the same thing or the familiar place they previously saw and now experience or remember what they are thinking about, even if the object, the place or the person has remained the same. I will argue that the perception of continuity requires memory. In fact, observation indicates how the memory runs at the same time, when the object is seen over time. This fact implies the memory system’s essential role for perceiving the continuity of the same things. Keywords Phenomenon . Object of perception . Experience . Memory . Perception of
continuity . Temporality
* Mika Suojanen [email protected]
1
Department of Philosophy, Contemporary History and Political Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Philosophia
1 Introduction When we observe, we are aware of things through the senses. We are also aware of our internal processes such as thoughts and imaginations, and we recognize external events, places and objects. Here, I will argue that theories of philosophy of perception are too simplifying because they almost always concentrate on the nature of the perceived object and its location. But how, for example, do we differentiate between different mental processes? Or how do we recognize different perceptions as the same thing? How do we actually see the continuity of things or the ending of things? Empirical evidence of memory disorders affected by lesioned brains, in fact, shows that a person with a memory disorder does not perceive the same thing or the familiar place or remember what he or she is thinking about. A counterfactual situation with demonstrative reasons can explain why the sensory features of things, such as shape, surface and texture, are not sufficient conditions to detect the cont
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