Seminar in Philosophy of Mind 16:730:575 Philosophy Department Spring 2014 Cross listed with: 16:185:600 Seminar in Cog Sci 1 Spatial Perception Time: Tuesday 9:50am to 12:50am. Location: Philosophy Seminar Room, 1534B, 106 Somerset Street, CAC. Instructors: Brian P. McLaughlin, Distinguished Professor, Philosophy
[email protected] Susanna Schellenberg, Associate Professor, Philosophy
[email protected] Requirements: 1. 20 page final paper, due June 31 2. 300 word abstract for final paper, due March 1st 3. Presentation of draft of final paper at the seminar conference on May 9th, including 3-4 page handout of talk and powerpoint/keynote slides 4. 2 questions on reading each week Course Description: We will examine different approaches to analyzing the spatial nature of perception. When we perceive a particular, we perceive it in space. Typically we perceive it as located within space. It is presented to us from our point of view, yet we can perceive its perspective independent spatial properties. What is the nature of the perspective properties with which we are presented in experience? How do we perceive the intrinsic spatial properties of objects despite perceiving objects in an egocentric frame of reference? We will address these questions, among others, both from a philosophical perspective and from the perspective of the inverse optics problem in vision science. Learning Objectives: • To examine the notion of an apparent visual geometrical property • To examine the nature of perspectival properties • To examine the relationship between egocentric and allocentric frames of reference • To examine attempts to explain visual geometrical visual illusions • To examine both visual and auditory spatial perception • To examine the inverse optics problem Guest speakers: Casey O’Callaghan, Benj Hellie, Michelle Montague Adam Pautz
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