The Perception & Action Podcast 554– Turvey, Lectures on Perception: An Ecological Perspective, Chapters 20-21 (JC55)
Nov 11, 2025
Join researchers Andrew Wilson and Marianne Davies as they dive into ecological psychology and perception. Wilson critiques human exceptionalism in understanding animal behavior, while Davies discusses the nuances of habitat versus niche. They explore thermodynamics as a driver of life and agency, challenging traditional physics with ecological insights. The duo also tackles perceptual illusions and the complexities of reflected light, advocating for a deeper understanding of organism-environment interactions. Their discussion promises a radical shift in how we perceive perception!
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Perception Is For All Organisms
- Perception must explain all perceiving animals, not just humans.
- Turvey argues organism-environment systems are the proper unit of analysis.
Niche vs Habitat And Distributed Success
- Niches and habitats differ: habitat is where, niche is how an organism exists there.
- Success is distributed across organism-environment systems, not solely inside the animal.
Thermodynamics Underpins Agency
- Turvey seeks to ground perception/action in thermodynamics to dissolve dualism.
- He treats physical laws as the ultimate constraints that make agency inevitable.
