| FORM: | ARTICLE |
| Author: | Natsoulas, Thomas |
| Affiliation: | U California, Davis |
| Title: | Residual subjectivity. |
| Source: | American Psychologist, 1978 Mar, 1978. 33 (3): p.269-283 Reference. |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | Thesaurus terms: Methodology Objectivity Perception Philosophies Psychology General Topics: APA Journals |
| Added Keywords: | subjectivity, psychological research |
| Classification Code: | General Psychology (2100) |
| Population Terms: Human | |
| Abstract: | Notes that any effort psychology may make to encompass the fact of subjectivity will oblige it to accept neither (a) a metaphysical subject of experience nor (b) a field of experience that belongs to no individual. But even physicalism in regard to the relation of mind to body must recognize the existence of a certain residual subjectivity. The brain activities that constitute perceptual and other experiences have an immediacy that thoroughly objective concepts do not and cannot cover. But all knowledge about the world (including experiences) is a knowledge of its structural properties. It follows that a thoroughly objective psychology need not omit any mental event, process, or state. But areas of psychology that seek to address the occurrent immediacy of human experiences will not be able to proceed strictly objectively. It is argued specifically that perceptual theory requires reference to the qualitative aspect of immediate experience as representing an essential function in perceptual awareness of the physical environment. (58 ref) ((c) 1999 APA/PsycINFO, all rights reserved) |