direct realism

philosophy

Also known as: epistemological realism

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June 25, 2026

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Direct realism, also known as naive realism or commonsense realism, is a philosophical viewpoint asserting that the objects we perceive through our senses exist independently of our minds. This means that the world and its contents are real and external, and we perceive them directly as they are, without intermediaries or mental interpretations.1234

This contrasts with other philosophical positions like idealism, which suggests reality is fundamentally mental, or representative realism, which posits that we perceive sense-data that represent external objects rather than the objects themselves. Direct realism aligns with common sense by suggesting our everyday perceptions offer direct evidence of an independent reality. However, it faces challenges in explaining perceptual anomalies like illusions.542

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objectivism
…or thought about), epistemological (or direct) realism (things in the world are perceived immediately or directly rather than inferred on the basis of perceptual evidence), ethical egoism (an action is morally right if it promotes the self-interest of the agent), individualism (a political system is just if it properly respects…
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…or thought about), epistemological (or direct) realism (things in the world are perceived immediately or directly rather than inferred on the basis of perceptual evidence), ethical egoism (an action is morally right if it promotes the self-interest of the agent), individualism (a political system is just if it properly respects…
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philosophical anthropology
The challenge of materialism
…is known to philosophers as direct, or “naive,” realism is well established. Philosophers regard it as naive because it claims that humans perceive things in the world directly and without the mediation of any impression, idea, or representation. Because no provision is made for any such direct apprehension in the…
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…is known to philosophers as direct, or “naive,” realism is well established. Philosophers regard it as naive because it claims that humans perceive things in the world directly and without the mediation of any impression, idea, or representation. Because no provision is made for any such direct apprehension in the…
Read More

$optical illusion: refraction of light$
epistemology
Realism
…main responses to the challenge: direct (or “naive”) realism and representative realism, also called the “causal theory.”
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…main responses to the challenge: direct (or “naive”) realism and representative realism, also called the “causal theory.”
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