This book combines approaches from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience in the study or perception. In addition to appealing to readers from all three of these disciplines, Perception: The Basics is a perfect introduction for students and general readers.
Bence Nanay introduces aesthetics, a branch of philosophy that explores the nature of art, beauty, and taste. Looking beyond traditional artistic experiences, he defends the topic from accusations of elitism, and shows how more everyday experiences such as the pleasure in a soft fabric or falling leaves can become the subject of aesthetics.
Bence Nanay explores how many influential debates in aesthetics look very different, and may be easier to tackle, if we clarify the assumptions they make about perception and experience. He focuses on the ways in which the distinction between distributed and focused attention can help us re-evaluate various key concepts and debates in aesthetics.
What mediates between sensory input and motor output? What makes it possible to act on what you perceive? Bence Nanay argues that pragmatic representations provide the perceptual guidance for performing actions. They play a key role in our mental lives, and help explain why the majority of our mental processes are very similar to those of animals.
Focusing on contemporary debates in the philosophy of perception, this volume features contributions from leading philosophers who explore critical questions such as the nature of unconscious perception and the relationship between perception and reality. The book offers an accessible overview of influential theories and discussions, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of perception in modern philosophical discourse.