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The Skin is an Intuitive Receptor

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The Skin is an Intuitive Receptor — illustration

Overview

The intuitive reactions rise to the surface of the skin or are skin deep. Aristotle’s concept is that skin is the perceptive vehicle of touch which acts in combination with the many senses. The dilemma, Aristotle explained, is that with touch, it is difficult to know if it is a question of a sense or many senses working together within, without, or both at the same time in relation to the body and it’s structure. Aristotle connected touch to form. To have form in a body is most important because it gives one the ability to be in the world and connected to the world. Aristotle’s thought was that the skin was the method that touch was perceived but that the skin was not the organ that produced the perception of touch. Aristotle explained that the sense organ connected to touch was an experience from within the individual and not a specific organ. Ashley Montagu agreed with Aristotle and believed that touch was the original sense that developed into the other five senses.

© Ozimkiewicz

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