Perception, Representation, and Epistemic Reference

In this essay, I argue that our perception of the phenomenal world can be epistemically related to what exists without corresponding to it, since the human brain did not evolve to deliver a “true” image of reality but primarily to serve survival of the species. Perception is not a mere response to environmental stimuli but is a higher-level cognitive experience that provides indirect knowledge of objects and events. From this perspective, I defend a non-correspondentist, realist, and representational account of perception and language.