Journal article
Can basic perceptual features be learned?
Synthese (Dordrecht), Vol.205(2), p.48
01/16/2025
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-024-04906-3
Abstract
Perceptual learning is characterized by long-term changes in perception as a result of practice or experience. In this paper, I argue that through perceptual learning we can become newly sensitive to basic perceptual features. First, I provide a novel account of basic perceptual features. Then, I argue that evidence from experience-based plasticity suggests that basic perceptual features can be learned. Lastly, I discuss the common scientific and philosophical view that perceptual learning comes in at least four varieties: differentiation, unitization, attentional weighting and stimulus imprinting. Becoming newly sensitive to basic perceptual features, I argue, does not fit into any of these categories. This paper's contribution to the literature is twofold. First, I present a novel view of basic perceptual features which can be used in subsequent theorizing. Second, I show that learning basic perceptual features, since it does not fit into this standardized taxonomy, constitutes an underappreciated form of perceptual learning. This result has important implications for recent discussions in the philosophy of perception and epistemology.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Can basic perceptual features be learned?
- Creators
- Gabriel Siegel - Washington University in St. Louis
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Synthese (Dordrecht), Vol.205(2), p.48
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11229-024-04906-3
- ISSN
- 0039-7857
- eISSN
- 1573-0964
- Number of pages
- 24
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/16/2025
- Academic Unit
- Philosophy
- Record Identifier
- 9984826360902771
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