快猫短视频

Closure by Hilary Lawson, Routledge, 拢15.99, ISBN 0415136504

IMAGINE for a moment that philosophy鈥檚 challenge to 鈥渞ealism鈥� is serious. The
idea that there is an external world out there, existing independently of our
observations and waiting to be discovered by science, would be just that: an
idea. Hilary Lawson鈥檚 modest project in Closure is to suggest how we would then
proceed with our inquiries.

If you鈥檙e interested in linguistic philosophy, or the psychology and
physiology of perception, do borrow this book. It will usefully shake up your
preconceptions about what is going on when, for example, you point at a small
grass-munching thing and exclaim, 鈥淩abbit!鈥�

Lawson鈥檚 notion of 鈥渃losure鈥� builds on what happens when an infant groups
together into one concept a smell and a blur from the blooming, buzzing
confusion of perceptions鈥斺�滿amma!鈥� It originates from the literary term
鈥渃losure鈥�, the coming together found in the final passage of George Orwell鈥檚
1984, when Winston Smith learns to love Big Brother鈥攐r not.

But Lawson鈥檚 grander project seems to disappear in the mire of self-reference
that bedevils such philosophy. What part of 鈥渢he world鈥� has the impression of
perceiving a world? Discuss.