Abstract

The notion of secondary qualities was first introduced by early modern philosophers. Since this concept’s inception speculation has been rife on the veracity and ontology of secondary qualities. With some claiming that secondary qualities don’t exist and others claiming that they do exist as qualia or properties of mind-independent objects (naïve realism). Considering this debate, my essay will aim to put forward a novel argument for the mere reality of secondary qualities in response to a position which denies their reality: called secondary quality denialism. I will also argue that given the ontological assumptions of secondary quality denialists the best ontological position for them to hold is naïve realism about secondary qualities.