Template:Short description The expression immaculate perception, used by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his text Thus Spoke Zarathustra; the term pertains to the idea of "pure knowledge." Nietzsche argues that "immaculate perception" is fictional because it ignores the intimate connection between the perceiver and the external world.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref> He argues that humans are fallible and are capable of using data to ratify or refute perceptions. He also clarifies that perception is value-laden and can be ruled by our interests.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
ConceptEdit
The term was the title of one of Zarathustra's speeches, Von der unbefleckten Erkenntnis, which literally means "On Immaculate Knowledge" or "On Immaculate Cognition.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> Walter Kaufmann who translated it as "On Immaculate Perception"; other scholarsTemplate:Who also prefer this translation because the main metaphor in the passage is visual perception.<ref name=":0" />
Nietzsche used immaculate perception in his interrogation of the myths of purity.<ref name=":4" /> According to the philosopher, perception is value-laden and ruled by interest;<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> in particular, it denies the important role that the will and desires of the perceiver have on every perception.<ref>Metcalfe, Michael. A Dancer’s Virtue: Human Life in Light of Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence. Concept XXVIII, 2005. [1]</ref>
Nietzsche also used immaculate perception in his discussions of the Christian view on sexuality. He attacked the so-called detachment of the "pure perceivers" or Rein-Erkennenden (e.g. Kantian view that pure judgments of what is beautiful must be detached), calling it voyeurism.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> According to him, loving the Earth from afar for these pure-knowers is hypocritical because they too are earthly but there is shame and bad conscience in this love.<ref name=":4" />
ApplicationsEdit
An example of the immaculate perception principle is Sigmund Freud's theory of mental representation, or what someTemplate:Who also refer to "copy theory of perception".<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref> He proposed that perception, which he often used interchangeably with "external reality",<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> is sensory-given and immediately known to the subject;<ref name=":2" /> therefore, it essentially involves the passive and temporary registration of an object.<ref name=":2" /> Nietzsche criticized this idea of "pure perception" by arguing that human perceptions are not mere copies of the images on the retinas.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> He maintained that perception is not clean or untainted by the object of perception.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> People "actively" construct perceived information<ref name=":3" /> as sensory modalities select and tend to simplify phenomena so that they merely serve one's interest and need.<ref name=":1" />Template:According to whom
ReferencesEdit
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