PERCEPTION 97 



is somewhat premature at this point. Not until the end of 

 the next chapter will consideration be given to the symbol- 

 izing of data obtained through perception, and the making 

 of inferences represents a still more advanced stage of 

 knowledge. But since the proper understanding of percep- 

 tion itself demands reference to the possible inferences which 

 may be made from it, consideration of this feature will be 

 helpful at this point. If truth is to be possible there must be 

 direct awareness of objects. But if error is to be possible 

 there must be knowledge of an inferential sort. Inference 

 functions in knowledge as the technique by which from the 

 appearance of an end-object in a certain context its appear- 

 ance in another context, or the end-object itself, may be 

 ascertained. Error arises when one infers incorrectly from 

 the appearance of an end-object in one context to its appear- 

 ance in another, or to the end-object itself. Awareness is 

 always directly of objects, and cannot be erroneous; if 

 awareness and the object vary inversely awareness may be 

 complex and the object simple, or the object may be com- 

 plex and the awareness simple — yet awareness is always of 

 the object. But at any given moment what may be desired 

 is knowledge of the object in some context other than that 

 in which it is given for direct awareness. This additional 

 knowledge must be inferential. Perception permits one to 

 have direct awareness of an object in one context, on the 

 basis of which he constructs inferential knowledge of the 

 object in some other context, or of the end-object itself. 

 One of the important tasks of science is the justification of 

 precisely such inferences. 



Clearly, this inferential act is of importance in the under- 

 standing of perception, and certain of its features must be 

 called to attention. In the first place it must be based, as 

 Eddington suggests, on the laws of nature. Inference be- 

 yond the object which is given in direct awareness becomes 

 possible only if one knows the laws according to which the 

 end-object manifests itself in the physical, bodily, and mental 

 media. One must know the laws of operators. One can infer 



