According to Russell, the difference between a chair that we call "real" and one that exists only in our dreams or hallucinations is that the "real chair"
According to Russell, the difference between a chair that we call "real" and one that exists only in our dreams or hallucinations is that the "real chair"
A "real chair" will fulfill our expectations about further sensations. For example, we can sit on a real chair -- which leads to further sensations. An alleged chair that zaps in and out of existence or that suddenly turns into a frog is said to be "unreal."
The "real chair" may in fact be an independent "metaphysically real" object. But there's no evidence for this, and we needn't assume it. We can get along fine by just taking the chair to be a logical fiction -- a way of speaking about our sensations.
According to Russell, the difference between a chair that we call "real" and one that exists only in our dreams or hallucinations is that the "real chair"
A "real chair" will fulfill our expectations about further sensations. For example, we can sit on a real chair -- which leads to further sensations. An alleged chair that zaps in and out of existence or that suddenly turns into a frog is said to be "unreal."
The "real chair" may in fact be an independent "metaphysically real" object. But there's no evidence for this, and we needn't assume it. We can get along fine by just taking the chair to be a logical fiction -- a way of speaking about our sensations.