Sensory Perceptions - Essay Example

Provide at least three (3) reasons for believing in the accuracy or inaccuracy of sensory information. Identify and describe at least three (3) factors contributing to the accuracy of sensory data. Discuss the roles of “nature” and “nurture” with regard to the interpretation and evaluation of sensory data.  On one hand, sensory information may be claimed accurate to the extent of perceiving entities which through time familiarizes a person to the nature of tangible objects as seen in shape or form or as heard, smelled, and tasted.

By an empiricist point of view, sense perceptions are reliable as an individual explores with his senses and obtains with them an image or audio-visual aspect of something experienced for real so that the frequent encounter of it under constant pattern eventually materializes a theory that whatever is sensed connects to logic. Secondly, it is reasonable to believe that sensory evaluation can be treated to bear accuracy for even if cognition is pertained to as a separate process, by itself, it would not achieve a worthy product of thought that comes with definite shape, color, sound, or measurable dimension if not through a man’s perceptual capacity.

In a way or another, details transmitted along the senses greatly aid the course of thinking when the image formed is translated to common knowledge which constitutes a basis of truth out of being initially sensed. Sensory information may be judged as inaccurate, nevertheless, on occasions when limitations to perceptive abilities are taken into account as in the event an object of interest is way beyond grasp in terms of distance or size that renders it invisible via the naked eye. At this point, rationalizing over the matter becomes the sole means of learning or seeking the truth regarding an alleged existence of things which the senses otherwise fail to concretize.

Since qualitative description cannot be perceived at the optimum in this case, then the inaccuracy of sensory information may be compensated for by an inductive method of reasoning, for instance, which entails a purely cognitive approach. One of the factors bearing impact upon the accuracy of sensory data is in reference to the number of observations that have been covered prior to the approval of results. This normally goes with the potential of comparing and contrasting the sensory data received from which to infer that an efficient comparative act equivalently generates the same degree of accuracy on information yielded through the senses.

The state of mental and physical health, similarly, contributes another significant factor in assessing whether or not the sensory output is reliable for there certainly exists an ample difference between the findings of a sick person and those of physically or mentally fit individual. Environmental condition as well as the availability of resources that provide context to the accuracy of sensory data may be considered a third factor. As such, if an environment is found to possess attributes or characteristics to which the perceived entity adapts or exhibits relevant association to then the person manages to obtain quality information drawn upon sensitivity to good signals at the external.

On interpreting sensory data, the instincts attached to a person’s nature function to guide the senses in understanding the world and everything in it on an elemental level. Likewise, other people have unique individual means with ‘nature’ in which a natural acquisition of knowledge may largely vary from person to person, in which case the concept of subjectivity emerges. Because of the occurring distinctions among people with respect to the manner of evaluating sensory information, exposure to the behavior and opinions of others ‘nurture’ any former beliefs or ideas in order to conform to a established norm or convention agreed upon by the many.

References[Reference Textbook] Tremblay, Francois. “The Infallibility of Sense Perception.” strongatheism.net. Retrieved from http://www.strongatheism.net/library/against/infallibility_of_sense_perception/ on July 16, 2012.