Pence, David (2018) On the Capacity for Vision Through Sensory Substitution. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. ISSN 1464-3537

Text Sensory Substitution Paper BJPS.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Registered users only until 10 December 2020. Download (299kB)

Abstract

Sensory substitution presents the philosopher of cognitive science with a particularly interesting case. Using prosthetics to map visual stimuli onto other modalities, such as touch or audition, otherwise blind individuals may develop perceptual capacities and behaviours commonly associated with sight. Experienced users can distinguish ‘visually’ presented objects and will even jerk back from a looming surface (Bach-y-Rita [1972]). Whether perception with sensory substitution devices (SSDs) should be classed as a type of vision, some other modality, or a new sense remains a matter of debate, however. In the following, I review arguments commonly used to rebut the visual interpretation and, drawing on recent experimental studies and phenomenological self-reports, construct a novel case for treating sensory substitution as a visual process.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Pence, David pence.evan@gmail.com 0000-0002-0331-7164
Keywords:	Sensory Substitution; Perception;
Depositing User:	David David Pence
Date Deposited:	13 Dec 2018 20:21
Last Modified:	13 Dec 2018 20:21
Item ID:	15378
Journal or Publication Title:	The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1093/bjps/axy073
Date:	10 December 2018
ISSN:	1464-3537
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15378

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