As Akins observes, it is not the point of our sensory systems that they should detect "basic" or "natural" properties of the environment, but that they should serve our "narcissistic" purposes in staying alive; nature doesn't build epistemic engines.


citing Kathleen Akins. "On Piranhas, Narcissism and Mental Representations: An Essay on Intentionality and Naturalism" (1989) - Consciousness Explained (1991)

Daniel Dennett Quotes

As Akins observes, it is not the point of our sensory systems that they should detect basic or natural properties of the environment, but that they...

As Akins observes, it is not the point of our sensory systems that they should detect basic or natural properties of the environment, but that they...

As Akins observes, it is not the point of our sensory systems that they should detect basic or natural properties of the environment, but that they...

As Akins observes, it is not the point of our sensory systems that they should detect basic or natural properties of the environment, but that they...