Naïve Realism, Seeing Stars, and Perceiving the Past

Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 100 (1):202-232 (2019)
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Abstract

It seems possible to see a star that no longer exists. Yet it also seems right to say that what no longer exists cannot be seen. We therefore face a puzzle, the traditional answer to which involves abandoning naïve realism in favour of a sense datum view. In this article, however, I offer a novel exploration of the puzzle within a naïve realist framework. As will emerge, the best option for naïve realists is to embrace an eternalist view of time, and claim that in the relevant case, one sees a still existent star‐stage located somewhere in the distant past.

Author's Profile

Alex Moran
Université de Fribourg

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