Aquinas' Theory of Perception
3 likes989 views
The document explores Aquinas's theory of perception through the lens of Aristotelian hylomorphism, which posits that matter and form are integral to understanding human perception and knowledge acquisition. It discusses the relationship between physical objects and their abstract representations in the mind, arguing that pure information exists independently of its material embodiment. The work emphasizes the significance of the non-material dimension of the human mind and the relevance of these concepts in addressing modern philosophical and scientific questions.
Aquinas' Theory of Perception
- 1. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 1 3-1-2017
- 2. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 2 3-1-2017 Content Introduction Hylomorphism: matter and form Acquisition and dealing with information Isomorphism of mind and reality Conclusions
- 3. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 3 3-1-2017 The great problem of human perception How enter things our mind? How it is possible that great objects arrive at microscopic light sensitive cells at the retina and eventually enter the brain and the mind. approach: abstraction literally: pull something away next question: what can be abstracted and what is left?
- 4. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 4 3-1-2017 Content Introduction Hylomorphism: matter and form Acquisition and dealing with information Isomorphism of mind and reality Conclusions
- 5. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 5 3-1-2017 the metaphysical analysis of Aristotle material things: are physically one, are metaphysically two: - the (philosophical) matter - the form which informs the matter form of material objects, - completely matter free, - is not an object of reality philosophical matter, - completely without information - is not an object of reality Aristotle, 384-322 BC matter and forms are principles of beings - not beings on its own matter: hyle (literaly wood); form: morphe: philosophy: hylomorphism
- 6. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 6 3-1-2017 analysis of change by Aristotle analogy with clay shapeless clay →head → shapeless clay →vase clay: on its own shapeless, not determined: matter (hyle) head, vase: something that determines: form (morphe) → Hylomorphism change: object I consists of matter and form I form I passes, form II takes its place object II consists now of matter and form II
- 7. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 7 3-1-2017 A modern analogue to material and form hardware - software software is always implemented in some hardware, for example: program file: on punch card on memory-stick on CD on hard-disk as code written on paper hardware (switched-on) has always certain information, i.e. software for example: tv monitor movie news tele-text letters of novel 'snow' if only noise at input Aristotelian language applied to the material reality: information, the form, has to be implemented in some kind of hard- ware, the material, otherwise it is not real, it is virtual, virtual reality.
- 8. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 8 3-1-2017 the double aspect of reality philospher material; what thing is made of? information; how thing is determined? what is real? dualism Platon, idealists shadow idea idea weak Democritus, atomists atoms pure geometry atoms weak Aristotle, realists matter form, information the thing strong materialists matter chance, natural laws matter weak computer scientist hardware software software implemented in hardware strong
- 9. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 9 3-1-2017 Content Introduction Hylomorphism: matter and form Acquisition and dealing with information Isomorphism of mind and reality Conclusions
- 10. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 10 3-1-2017 acquisition of and dealing with information as an example: the human eye and the connection with the brain steps (humans and higher animals): I: inverse image is formed II image activates light sensitive cells III: optic nerve transmits cell signals to cortex IV: advanced image procession in cortex and other parts of brain in each step beyond I: image is represented by specific molecular states, i.e. implemented in matter
- 11. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 11 3-1-2017 acquisition of and dealing with information what about abstraction? level I: concepts are formed example: chair individual chair: different forms, materials, changing in time concept of chair: constant in time, general chair: always implemented in matter science is based on concepts
- 12. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 12 3-1-2017 acquisition of and dealing with information what about abstraction? level II: special concepts are formed example: concept of circle individual circle: different forms, materials, changing in time concept of circle: constant in time, general circle: not always implemented in matter mathematics is based on concepts not implemented in matter increasing abstraction in mathematics 2 apples and 3 apples are 5 apples 2+3=5 a+b=c a+b=b+a (addition is commutative)
- 13. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 13 3-1-2017 acquisition of and dealing with information what about abstraction? level III: concepts are formed that never are implemented in matter example: concept of time, causality, sein als solches (being as such) individual time, causality…: without meaning concept of time, causality….: constant in time, general metaphysics (philosophy) makes extensively use of concepts never implemented in matter
- 14. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 14 3-1-2017 Content Introduction Hylomorphism: matter and form Acquisition and dealing with information Isomorphism of mind and reality Conclusions
- 15. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 15 3-1-2017 isomorphisme of mind and reality next step in abstraction? in human mind: - all information is received from the senses, - pure information, i.e. the form - the matter is completely abstracted first conclusion: - mind can not be composed of matter - mind is informed and becomes in certain sense the observed object second conclusion: - object exists: implemented in matter - and intentionally implemented in mind Aristotle Let us now summarize our results about soul, and repeat that the soul is in a way all existing things. (De Anima 431b21, trans. Smith) picture from http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/Abstraction.htm
- 16. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 16 3-1-2017 starting point: material object, consisting of matter and form in senses and sensory capacities - matter is more and more removed from the information - data processing is carried out in the mind (with a spiritual dimension) - the matter-free form is accepted - and exemplified intentionally - isomorphism of reality and mind object: sensory exemplification exemplification in mind matter (green) and form (red) form and largely reduced matter form without matter isomorphisme of mind and reality
- 17. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 17 3-1-2017 distinction between esse naturale and esse intentionale It is through the sense impression in the faculty that the sense faculty ‘becomes’ the sense object in the external world, but immaterially or intentionally. The same form is exemplified ‘intentionally’ in the faculty and ‘existentionally’ in the object; this is the Aristotelian insight further enhanced by Aquinas. There is an identity of form, one in esse intentionale and the other in esse naturale, indicating the two modes of exemplification utilized. Without this identity of structure rendered possible by the two modes of exemplification, the isomorphism of mind and reality in Aristotelian ontology and philosophy of mind would be impossible. Lisska, 2016 isomorphisme of mind and reality
- 18. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 18 3-1-2017 some remarks: the object is not duplicated in the mind - matter is completely removed from the form - what left is pure information, and not informed matter amount of information depends on the receiving mind - example fir: most recognize evergreen, smell - only specialist: light harvesting in needle-like leaves there are two different types of intellectual activities in the mind: - reasoning, by syllogism, formal thinking, data-procession: also with animals, computer - intuition: source of creativity, giving meaning to concepts: only with humans information allows also to understand behavior and future evolution - predict trajectory of cannonball - carry out Gedankenexperiment (mental experiments) analogy with computational physics isomorphisme of mind and reality
- 19. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 19 3-1-2017 Content Introduction Hylomorphism: matter and form Acquisition and dealing with information Isomorphism of mind and reality Conclusions
- 20. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 20 3-1-2017 conclusions Hylomorphism is a powerful approach for understanding the full richness of human intellectual capacity. The definition of truth of Aquinas becomes evident truth: adaequatio rei et intellectus truth is the conformity of the intellect to the things. The non-material dimension of the human mind is fully acknowledged. The application of concepts of the metaphysics of Aristotle and Aquinas is a adequate starting point for the study of philosophical issues of modern science.
- 21. CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 21 3-1-2017 This talk has been presented at the 19th International Interdisciplinary Seminar What differentiates human persons from animals and machines? Netherhall House, London, 3-1-2017