Błażej Skrzypulec

The Metaphysical Bare Substratum Theory and Investigations Concerning Visual Perception (Based on MOT Experiment in the Zenon Pylyshyn's Interpretation)

Th e paper juxtaposes the metaphysical theory of bare substrate (which is a theory of an individual object) with the results of research on visual perception – the MOT experiment and the FINST concept, by Zenon Pylyshyn, related to the experiment. Th e author points out the similarities between the theory of bare substrate and the FINST idea and then presents to what extent the MOT result might be an argument for the adequacy of the theory of bare substrate as a theory of individual object. Moreover, taking the above concepts as an example, it will be shown how metaphysical theories can be justifi ed by results of empirical research (in order to do this, some falsifi able hypotheses will be inferred from the theory of bare substrate) and how metaphysical theories can be used to interpret test results

Metaphisical theories of individual object as models of visual objects

In the article the three main metaphysical theories of individual objects (the bare substratum theory, the bundle theory and the substratum theory) are interpreted as the models of visual objects. These models are tested according to the empirical data. The first part of the article discusses methodological issues concerning the procedure in which thesis of the metaphysical theories gain the empirical content. In the second part the models based on the metaphysical theories are tested according to the selected psychological data connected with detection, categorization and reidentification of visual objects. As the result of the testing the hypothesis is stated, saying that the models based on the different metaphysical theories are the proper models of the visual objects present on the different stages of the perceptual process.