Stephen Hicks discusses the Objectivism’s view of consciousness as relational. This is from Part 12 of his Philosophy of Education course.
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A relational theory of consciousness was proposed at least as early as 1904 by W. P. Montague of Columbia University for the fourth meeting of the American Philosophical Association at Philadelphia, December, 1904.. Montague writes:
“Recently, several philosophers have independently suggested that the relational category should be applied in the study of consciousness as well as in the study of its objects, that the phenomenon of consciousness, of awareness, should be correlated with such relations between other phenomena as will best explain its function and its origin. The relational theory of consciousness, however, implies a realistic theory of sensible qualities, both primary and secondary. And, conversely, when once this realism is recognized, there is no temptation to relapse into either of the idealistic or non-relational conceptions of consciousness.”
Interestingly both Montague and Rand hold that both primary and secondary sensory qualities are on the same epistemological level and that this is implied by realism (vs. idealism). But the problem of what ontologically underlies the common epistemological bases for these qualities is not a philosophical but a scientific problem. I have written a direct realist theory of the causal basis of perception. Within this theory is the subtopic of sensory qualities. Here is the link for those interested in studying this subtopic from a scientific perspective (resting as it does on a realist philosophical perspective of perception) http://bioperipatetic.com/a-direct-realist-theory-of-sensory-qualities/
Thanks for the Montague quotation, Jack. I was not aware of it.
I’ll link your post to my Facebook page. Good reading.
Thank you, Stephen. I am a fan of your site. I love your attitude that encourages your students to research, think and decide for themselves. Best Regards, Jack
Stephen, here is a link to the full Montague paper: http://archive.org/stream/jstor-2010859/2010859_djvu.txt
Great. Thanks again, Jack.
Sorry Dr Hicks, I can’t find “the evolution of socialists strategists” in your site. Is it still available?
Try here, Dani: http://www.stephenhicks.org/2009/11/16/the-evolution-of-socialist-strategies/.
Thanks.