Naïve Realism: The Human Default Mode of [[Perception]] Naïve realism (also called direct realism or commonsense realism) is the intuitive [[belief]] that we perceive the world exactly as it is—that our senses provide us with a direct, unfiltered, and accurate window onto objective reality. It's not so much a formal philosophical position as it is the unexamined assumption that most people operate under in daily life. Core Beliefs of Naïve Realism 1. "What you see is what you get" – The world is exactly as it appears to be 2. Immediacy – Perception is direct, with no mental processing intervening between the object and our [[awareness]] of it 3. Objectivity – When two people look at the same thing, they should see it the same way (assuming no physical impairments) 4. Universal truth – Disagreements about reality stem from someone having faulty information or being irrational Why Naïve Realism Is Problematic (The Evidence Against It) [[Psychology]], [[neuroscience]], and [[philosophy]] have demonstrated that naïve realism is fundamentally flawed: 1. Perceptual Illusions Prove Reality ≠ Perception · Optical illusions (like the Müller-Lyer lines that appear different lengths but are identical) show our brain constructs rather than passively records reality · Color perception – Colors don't exist "out there" but are our brain's interpretation of specific wavelengths of light · Blind spots – Our eyes have literal physical blind spots that our brains fill in seamlessly 2. Neuroscience Shows Massive Processing · Our brains receive limited sensory data (like the 2D images on our retinas) and construct a 3D model of reality · This involves [[unconscious]] inference – our brains make assumptions based on past experiences · Change blindness experiments show we're unaware of massive changes in our visual field unless we're paying direct attention 3. Subjective Differences in Perception · The same wine tastes different to different people · Pain thresholds vary dramatically between individuals · Cultural differences in perception – the Himba tribe of Namibia has fundamentally different color categorization than Westerners 4. Psychological [[Biases]] · Confirmation bias – We see what we expect to see · Motivated perception – Our desires influence what we perceive (e.g., a hill looks steeper if you're tired) · Inattentional blindness – We fail to notice unexpected objects when focused on something else (famous "invisible gorilla" experiment) The Social Dimension: Naïve Realism as a Social Bias Psychologists Lee Ross and colleagues identified naïve realism as a major source of social conflict. This has three components: 1. "I see reality objectively" – My perception is the accurate one 2. "Reasonable people agree with me" – Anyone rational who had the same information would share my view 3. "Those who disagree must be..." · Biased (by [[ideology]], self-interest) · Ignorant (lacking relevant information) · Irrational (incapable of logical reasoning) This creates the "false polarization" effect where we overestimate how different others' views are from ours and underestimate our own biases. Philosophical Alternatives 1. Representational Realism/Indirect Realism – We perceive mental representations of reality, not reality directly ([[John Locke]]'s "veil of perception") 2. Idealism – Reality is fundamentally mental (George Berkeley's "to be is to be perceived") 3. Constructivism – We actively construct our reality through cognitive processes 4. Phenomenology – Focuses on conscious experience itself rather than what might lie behind it Practical Implications of Rejecting Naïve Realism · Intellectual humility – Recognizing our perceptions are interpretations, not absolute truths · Conflict resolution – Understanding that others may genuinely experience the same situation differently · Scientific mindset – Systematic methods are needed because unaided perception is unreliable · Cultural sensitivity – Different groups may literally perceive the world differently based on linguistic and cultural frameworks The Middle Ground: Critical Realism Most contemporary philosophers and scientists accept a form of critical realism: · There is an objective reality "out there" · Our senses give us generally reliable information about it · BUT our perception is mediated, constructed, and fallible · We need multiple perspectives and scientific tools to approximate reality more accurately In a Nutshell Naïve realism is our intuitive, default belief that "seeing is believing" in the most literal sense. While evolutionarily useful for quick decision-making, it's demonstrably false as a complete account of perception. Recognizing its limitations is crucial for scientific [[thinking]], empathy in disagreements, and understanding the human condition. We don't see reality as it is; we see reality as our biologically and culturally shaped brains construct it to be useful for survival and social functioning. `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`