120. EPISTEMOLOGICAL IMPORT OF THE DISTINCTION.

 It

needs no further illustration to make us realize that in our

spontaneous interpretations of the immediate data presented in

sense perception, we distinguish between normal and abnormal

conditions, and between natural and artificial conditions, of the

actual perception process. But the important question is,

What does the distinction between normal and abnormal con

ditions imply in regard to the spontaneous judgments which

attribute externality, extensity, size, shape, rest, motion, colour,

and other sense qualities, to our immediately perceived sense

data?

It implies this at all events : that when we realize the con

ditions of any actual external sense perception, whether condi

tions of the perceiver s own sense organs, or conditions of the

" external" or "extra-organic" domain of reality, to be abnor

mal, we regard the perceived external reality as being externally

otherwise than it is reported or presented by the sense organs

to consciousness, and spontaneously judged by the intellect in

terpreting this presentation without advertence to the abnormal

conditions. In other words, we recognize that in such a case

the role played by the abnormal conditions, whether organic or

extra-organic, in presenting the external reality to consciousness,

and in that presentation partially determining the quality or

character of the presented datum, precludes us from judging

(if we are to judge rightly) that the external reality is really and

externally as it is presented to the conscious perceiver. Or, to

put it in another way, we recognize that if the abnormal con

ditions are organic, the relativity of the presented datum to the

perceiver s organism, the dependence of the presented datum on

the sense organ, is special and exceptional ; and that if the abnor-

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98 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

mal conditions are extra-organic, the presented datum is likewise

specially and exceptionally influenced by its relativity to or

dependence on these : so that in neither alternative can we rightly

judge that the presented external or extra-organic reality has

really and externally the character or quality with which it is

presented, but must in both alternatives make allowance for the

influence of the abnormal conditions in discerning how much

(so to speak) of the presented datum or quality is really extra-

organic or external.

Secondly, the distinction implies that when all the conditions

of an actual external perception are normal, the qualities of the

presented sense datum can be rightly affirmed of the perceived

external reality, inasmuch as those qualities are qualities of this

reality as normally presented to consciousness. It does not imply

that those qualities, presented to consciousness, are wholly inde

pendent of the determining influence of the sense organs. It recog

nizes that in all perception the qualities of the presented sense

datum are partially determined to be what they are by the organic

nature or structure and conditions of the perceiver s own material

or corporeal sense organs, through the instrumental functions

of which the external reality is presented to the individual per

ceiver s consciousness. But when these organic determining

factors, on the subjective or " self" side of the process, are nor

mal, and, being normal, are the same for all normal individual

perceivers, their determining influence on the qualities of the ex

ternal reality presented through their operation is not indeed

denied, for it is undeniable, but is tacitly and rightly ignored as

being something essentially involved in the subjective, organic

side of the presentation of external reality to the perceiver s mind

or consciousness. Hence the individual perceiver abstracts from

this presupposed, uniform influence of his own organic nature

as a sentient being, on the reality which he perceives, when he

(both spontaneously and reflectively) judges this reality to be as

it is presented}- viz. to be external, extended or three-dimensional,

one or manifold, at rest or in motion, to have shape, resistance,

colour, sound, temperature, taste, smell, etc.

 It

needs no further illustration to make us realize that in our

spontaneous interpretations of the immediate data presented in

sense perception, we distinguish between normal and abnormal

conditions, and between natural and artificial conditions, of the

actual perception process. But the important question is,

What does the distinction between normal and abnormal con

ditions imply in regard to the spontaneous judgments which

attribute externality, extensity, size, shape, rest, motion, colour,

and other sense qualities, to our immediately perceived sense

data?

It implies this at all events : that when we realize the con

ditions of any actual external sense perception, whether condi

tions of the perceiver s own sense organs, or conditions of the

" external" or "extra-organic" domain of reality, to be abnor

mal, we regard the perceived external reality as being externally

otherwise than it is reported or presented by the sense organs

to consciousness, and spontaneously judged by the intellect in

terpreting this presentation without advertence to the abnormal

conditions. In other words, we recognize that in such a case

the role played by the abnormal conditions, whether organic or

extra-organic, in presenting the external reality to consciousness,

and in that presentation partially determining the quality or

character of the presented datum, precludes us from judging

(if we are to judge rightly) that the external reality is really and

externally as it is presented to the conscious perceiver. Or, to

put it in another way, we recognize that if the abnormal con

ditions are organic, the relativity of the presented datum to the

perceiver s organism, the dependence of the presented datum on

the sense organ, is special and exceptional ; and that if the abnor-

VOL. n. 7

98 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

mal conditions are extra-organic, the presented datum is likewise

specially and exceptionally influenced by its relativity to or

dependence on these : so that in neither alternative can we rightly

judge that the presented external or extra-organic reality has

really and externally the character or quality with which it is

presented, but must in both alternatives make allowance for the

influence of the abnormal conditions in discerning how much

(so to speak) of the presented datum or quality is really extra-

organic or external.

Secondly, the distinction implies that when all the conditions

of an actual external perception are normal, the qualities of the

presented sense datum can be rightly affirmed of the perceived

external reality, inasmuch as those qualities are qualities of this

reality as normally presented to consciousness. It does not imply

that those qualities, presented to consciousness, are wholly inde

pendent of the determining influence of the sense organs. It recog

nizes that in all perception the qualities of the presented sense

datum are partially determined to be what they are by the organic

nature or structure and conditions of the perceiver s own material

or corporeal sense organs, through the instrumental functions

of which the external reality is presented to the individual per

ceiver s consciousness. But when these organic determining

factors, on the subjective or " self" side of the process, are nor

mal, and, being normal, are the same for all normal individual

perceivers, their determining influence on the qualities of the ex

ternal reality presented through their operation is not indeed

denied, for it is undeniable, but is tacitly and rightly ignored as

being something essentially involved in the subjective, organic

side of the presentation of external reality to the perceiver s mind

or consciousness. Hence the individual perceiver abstracts from

this presupposed, uniform influence of his own organic nature

as a sentient being, on the reality which he perceives, when he

(both spontaneously and reflectively) judges this reality to be as

it is presented}- viz. to be external, extended or three-dimensional,

one or manifold, at rest or in motion, to have shape, resistance,

colour, sound, temperature, taste, smell, etc.