Aristotle on Perceiving Objects

Anna Marmodoro is a Fellow in Philosophy of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford. She specializes in ancient philosophy and contemporary metaphysics, and currently directs a major research project in metaphysics funded by the European Research Council.

Acknowledgements ; Introduction ; Chapter 1 - The metaphysical foundations of perception ; Introduction ; 1.1 Aristotle's power ontology ; 1.2 The nature of causal powers ; 1.3 Causal powers in actuality ; 1.4 Relations and relatives ; 1.5 Causation without glue ; 1.6 The causal powers model in Physics III 3 ; Concluding remarks ; Chapter 2- Aristotle's causal powers theory of perception ; Introduction ; 2.1 The faculty of perception ; 2.2 The five senses ; 2.3 The power(s) to cause perceptual experiences ; 2.4 Aristotle's causal powers theory of perception ; 2.5 Alternative interpretations of De Anima III 2 ; Concluding remarks ; Appendix: How do the senses 'take on' perceptible qualities? ; Chapter 3 - Aristotle's subtle perceptual realism ; Introduction ; 3.1 Perceptible qualities in second actuality ; 3.1.1 The single-track powers view ; 3.1.2 The multi-track & multi-stage powers view ; 3.2 Objectivity of content and subjectivity of experience ; 3.2.1 Aristotle's Subtle Perceptual Realism ; 3.2.2 Aristotle and McDowell ; 3.3 The role of the medium in perception ; Concluding remarks ; Chapter 4 - The problem of complex perceptual content ; Introduction ; 4.1 The common sense and the perception of complex perceptual content ; 4.2 Simultaneous perception ; 4.3 Incidental perception ; 4.4 Perception of the common sensibles ; 4.5 From the perception of the common sensibles to the perception of objects ; Concluding remarks ; Appendix: Varieties of incidental perception ; Chapter 5 - Unity of subject, operation, content, and time ; Introduction ; 5.1 Physical constraints on complex perceptual content ; 5.2 The unity of subject, of operation and of time ; 5.3 No duplication of perceptual awareness ; 5.4 A 'robust' interpretation of the common sense ; 5.5 A new individuation principle for the common sense ; Concluding remarks ; Chapter 6 - Mixing the many and partitioning the one ; Introduction ; 6. 1 The Mixed Contents Model ; 6.2 The Multiple Sensors Model ; 6.3 The Ratio Model ; Concluding remarks ; Chapter 7 - One and many perceptual faculties ; Introduction ; 7.1 The Relative Identity Model ; 7.2 The Substance Model ; 7.3 The Common Power Model ; Concluding remarks ; Chapter 8 - Conclusions ; Bibliography