Abstract

The chapter revolves around Tyler Burge's interpretation of David Marr's theory of vision, and the chapter's arguments against such construal. Burge asserts that through evolution, our sensory systems have become adapted to our current environment, and can be assumed to be “successful” in that we are able to generate veridical perceptions of the same. According to Burge, this ascribes a “success-orientation” to Marr's theory. This chapter argues that Marr's own assumption of success in his work is merely a methodological dictate necessary to solve or understand the initial query and purpose of the study. In the same way that artificial intelligence is developed, one has to make intelligent choices on which types of human cognitive abilities should the project be patterned after. Thus, Marr's employment of this practice does not automatically warrant the assumption of veridical perception in his work.