Christopher Peacocke
Encyclopedia
Christopher Arthur Bruce Peacocke (born 22 May 1950, son of Arthur Peacocke
) is a philosopher especially known for his work in philosophy of mind
and epistemology. His recent publications, in the field of epistemology, have defended a version of rationalism.
and Exeter College, Oxford
, where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics as an undergraduate, winning both the Webb Medley Prize in Economics
and the Henry Wilde Prize in Philosophy
in 1971, graduating with a first class degree. Later that year he was awarded a Kennedy Memorial Trust scholarship to study at Harvard University
. He then continued at Oxford gaining a BPhil (1974) and DPhil (1979) in Philosophy, the latter under the supervision of Michael Dummett
. He was Visiting Lecturer at University of California, Berkeley
, 1975-6, and in 1975 elected to a fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford
. He was the Susan Stebbing Professor of Philosophy at King's College London
from 1985 to 1989 and Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Oxford University from 1989 to 2000, at which time he moved to New York University
(NYU). He is a professor of philosophy at Columbia University
, and in 2008 he was named to the Richard Wollheim
chair in philosophy at University College, London, where he will teach in the third (summer) term each year. He lives with his wife and two children.(1)
have used these examples as evidence of their existence. Several philosophers have criticized these examples (Michael Tye
, Fred Dretske
), claiming that the supposed extra quality can indeed be captured in terms of intentional content.
In the 1983 book, Peacocke assumed that the intentional content of mental states is exclusively conceptual content, i.e. the content is such that the subject of the state needs to possess all the concepts that specify the intentional content in question. From about 1986 and onwards, Peacocke abandoned this assumption, arguing that some mental states, in particular perceptual experiences and representational states implicated in subpersonal information processing (for example, in the subconscious parsing of heard speech), have non-conceptual intentional content. Peacocke is now often seen as a leading proponent of this notion of non-conceptual intentional content.
In his 1992, A Study of Concepts, Peacocke gives a detailed exposition of a philosophical theory of concept possession, according to which the nature and identity conditions for concepts may be given, in a non-circular way, by the conditions a thinker has to satisfy in order to possess the relevant concepts. The theory is a version of a so-called "conceptual" or "inferential role" theory of concepts.
Arthur Peacocke
The Reverend Canon Arthur Robert Peacocke MBE was a British theologian and biochemist.-Biography:Arthur Robert Peacocke was born at Watford in on 29 November 1924...
) is a philosopher especially known for his work in philosophy of mind
Philosophy of mind
Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain. The mind-body problem, i.e...
and epistemology. His recent publications, in the field of epistemology, have defended a version of rationalism.
Biography
He was educated at Magdalen College School, OxfordMagdalen College School, Oxford
Magdalen College School is an independent school for boys aged 7 to 18 and girls in the sixth form, located on The Plain in Oxford, England. It was founded as part of Magdalen College, Oxford by William Waynflete in 1480....
and Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics as an undergraduate, winning both the Webb Medley Prize in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and the Henry Wilde Prize in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
in 1971, graduating with a first class degree. Later that year he was awarded a Kennedy Memorial Trust scholarship to study at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He then continued at Oxford gaining a BPhil (1974) and DPhil (1979) in Philosophy, the latter under the supervision of Michael Dummett
Michael Dummett
Sir Michael Anthony Eardley Dummett FBA D.Litt is a British philosopher. He was, until 1992, Wykeham Professor of Logic at the University of Oxford...
. He was Visiting Lecturer at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, 1975-6, and in 1975 elected to a fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
. He was the Susan Stebbing Professor of Philosophy at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
from 1985 to 1989 and Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Oxford University from 1989 to 2000, at which time he moved to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU). He is a professor of philosophy at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and in 2008 he was named to the Richard Wollheim
Richard Wollheim
Richard Arthur Wollheim was a British philosopher noted for original work on mind and emotions, especially as related to the visual arts, specifically, painting...
chair in philosophy at University College, London, where he will teach in the third (summer) term each year. He lives with his wife and two children.(1)
Academic work
Of his earlier work, he is perhaps best known for the first chapter of his 1983 book, Sense and Content, entitled "Sensation and the Content of Experience." In this chapter, Peacocke defends the claim that perceptual experience, over and above its intentional content, has certain "sensational properties". He gives three different examples of visual scenarios where intentional content alone cannot capture every aspect of the experience. Those aspects which elude intentional content are thought to be the sensational properties of the experience. Some of those who defend qualiaQualia
Qualia , singular "quale" , from a Latin word meaning for "what sort" or "what kind," is a term used in philosophy to refer to subjective conscious experiences as 'raw feels'. Examples of qualia are the pain of a headache, the taste of wine, the experience of taking a recreational drug, or the...
have used these examples as evidence of their existence. Several philosophers have criticized these examples (Michael Tye
Michael Tye (philosopher)
Michael Tye is a philosopher at the University of Texas at Austin who has made significant contributions to the philosophy of mind. He was educated at Oxford University in England, studying first physics and then physics and philosophy. Before moving to Texas, Tye taught at Temple University in...
, Fred Dretske
Fred Dretske
Frederick Irwin Dretske is a philosopher noted for his contributions to epistemology and the philosophy of mind. His more recent work centers on conscious experience and self-knowledge. Additionally, he was awarded the Jean Nicod Prize in 1994...
), claiming that the supposed extra quality can indeed be captured in terms of intentional content.
In the 1983 book, Peacocke assumed that the intentional content of mental states is exclusively conceptual content, i.e. the content is such that the subject of the state needs to possess all the concepts that specify the intentional content in question. From about 1986 and onwards, Peacocke abandoned this assumption, arguing that some mental states, in particular perceptual experiences and representational states implicated in subpersonal information processing (for example, in the subconscious parsing of heard speech), have non-conceptual intentional content. Peacocke is now often seen as a leading proponent of this notion of non-conceptual intentional content.
In his 1992, A Study of Concepts, Peacocke gives a detailed exposition of a philosophical theory of concept possession, according to which the nature and identity conditions for concepts may be given, in a non-circular way, by the conditions a thinker has to satisfy in order to possess the relevant concepts. The theory is a version of a so-called "conceptual" or "inferential role" theory of concepts.
Articles
- Understanding logical constants: a realist's account (1987), British AcademyBritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
lecture. - "Truth Definitions and Actual Languages." In: Gareth EvansGareth Evans (philosopher)Gareth Evans was a British philosopher.-Life:Gareth Evans studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at University College, Oxford . His philosophy tutor was Peter Strawson...
and John McDowellJohn McDowellJohn Henry McDowell is a South African philosopher, formerly a fellow of University College, Oxford and now University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Although he has written extensively on metaphysics, epistemology, ancient philosophy, and meta-ethics, McDowell's most influential work...
, eds., Truth and Meaning: Essays in Semantics, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1976.
Books
- Holistic Explanation: Action, Space, Interpretation, Oxford University Press, 1979.
- Sense and Content, Oxford, 1983.
- Thoughts: An Essay on Content, Blackwell, 1986.
- A Study of Concepts, MIT, 1992.
- Being Known, Oxford, 1999.
- The Realm of Reason, Oxford, 2003.
- Truly Understood, Oxford, 2008.