ホワイトヘッド哲学における命題論

「理論負荷性」にもとづく命題概念の理解と命題にもとづく知覚論の考察

抄録

The aim of this paper is to elucidate the function of what Whitehead calls “propositions” by trying to place it in the broader context of his theory of perception and thereby to show that there are essential elements (= propositions) in that theory. A perceiving subject isn’t assumed in the “Philosophy of Organism”. Experience which results in perception from past data becomes and in a stage of “satisfaction” the perceiving subject becomes a reality. “Becoming” has precedence over “being”. The process from becoming to satisfaction is called an “actual entity”. An actual entity grasps data by “feeling” and leads itself to satisfaction. What is ordinarily called perception is quite intricate in Whitehead’s philosophy. This is because the becoming of an actual entity has several phases, where various constituents of experience arise and are integrated. Conscious perception is achieved in the last stage of this intricate process. Whitehead’s theory of perception is often explained by “symbolic reference”. But we aims to consider perception through the concept of “propositions”.

In becoming, propositions are essential for the formation of perception. Propositions are derived from a certain phase and become data for feeling. Propositions for Whitehead are not propositions as generally understood in logic. Whitehead’s propositions are based on facts, but, at the same time, they have the status of existence as a “potentiality” derived from facts. This paper aims to explain propositions and the theory of perception based on propositions by appealing to the concept of “theory-ladenness” proposed by N.R.Hanson. After a survey of Hanson’s theory of perception, this paper clarifies the significance of Whitehead’s theory of perception based on propositions.

Further, this paper considers the question “what are we perceiving?” through the theory of perception based on propositions. I argue that the perception which is formed through the phases of an actual entity’s becoming-process is really a simplification of fertile data. We form perception by abstraction from and simplification of fertile data.