Aquinas' Theory of Perception

CSR: Culture, Science and Religion Aquina’s theory of perception page 1 3-1-2017


Content

Introduction

Hylomorphism: matter and form

Acquisition and dealing with information

Isomorphism of mind and reality

Conclusions


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: abstractionliterally: pull something away

next question:what can be abstracted and what is left?


Content

Introduction




Conclusions


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 realityAristotle, 384-322 BC

matter and forms are principles of beings

- not beings on its own

matter: hyle (literaly wood); form: morphe: philosophy: hylomorphism


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


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.


the double aspect of realityphilospher 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


Content

Introduction




Conclusions


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



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




level II: special concepts are formedexample: concept of circle

individual circle:

different forms, materials, changing in time

concept of circle:


circle: not always implemented in matter

mathematics is based on concepts not

implemented in matterincreasing abstraction in mathematics

2 apples and 3 apples are 5 apples

2+3=5

a+b=c

a+b=b+a (addition is commutative)

http://wallpaper-s.org/42_~_Crop_Circle,_Spinning_Star,_Wiltshire,_England.htm

http://wallpaper-s.org/42_~_Crop_Circle,_Spinning_Star,_Wiltshire,_England.htm




level III: concepts are formed that never

are implemented in matterexample: concept of time, causality,

sein als solches (being as such)

individual time, causality…:

without meaning

concept of time, causality….:


metaphysics (philosophy) makes

extensively use of concepts never

implemented in matter


Content

Introduction




Conclusions


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 fromhttp://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/Abstraction.htm

http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/Abstraction.htm


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 mindmatter (green) and form (red) form and largely reduced matter form without matter



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



some remarks:

the object is not duplicated in the mindmatter 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



Content

Introduction




Conclusions


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.


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

Aquinas' Theory of Perception

Science

Transcript of Aquinas' Theory of Perception