pynchon agnostic? II

[Paul Mackin]

On Mon, 2003-03-10 at 15:04, David Morris wrote:
> --- Keith McMullen <keithsz at concentric.net> wrote:
> > >>>Don't like that phrase?  How about substituting "are processed into?"<<<
> > 
> > What is the nature of a perception before it is processed into a concept?
> 
> I am by no means a disciplined metaphysician, so I'm hesitant to reply, partly
> because you seem like you're ready to pounce.  But I'll jump in anyway:
> 
> Perceptions are very close to concepts.  I suppose they are sort of
> mini-concepts.  They are sensory input which are initially sorted and then
> combined into larger perceptions that are called concepts.


Aristotle and St Thomas would probably make a stronger distinction
between perceptions and concepts. Something like the following: Through
our senses (perception) we receive mental pictures of objects
(phantasms),  from which the intellect forms concepts or ideas. The
intellect makes sensory perceptions intelligible. The senses are the
cause of ideas but not the sole cause. Something of the sort.
P.