--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is true that 'I seem to see a table'…" description: "\"It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain' does entail 'I feel a pain'. So scepticism loses i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/galen-strawson-50160_characteristics_it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-do_37798.png" --- # It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I… ![“It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain' does entail 'I feel a pain'. So scepticism loses its force - cannot open up its characteristic gap - with regard to that which ultimately most concerns us, pleasure and pain.” quote by Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/galen-strawson-50160_characteristics_it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-do_37798.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/galen-strawson-50160_characteristics_it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-do_37798.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/galen-strawson-50160_characteristics_it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-do_37798.png) > “It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain' does entail 'I feel a pain'. So scepticism loses its force - cannot open up its characteristic gap - with regard to that which ultimately most concerns us, pleasure and pain.” [Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that while perceptual uncertainty can be tolerated, the certainty of feeling pleasure or pain is undeniable, undermining skeptical doubts about our own experiences. **In simple terms:** Pain and pleasure are undeniable experiences. Key Takeaway Skepticism about experience fails for affective states. Themes epistemology philosophy of mind skepticism affect ontology perception Mood thoughtful critical reflective Type philosophical analytical argumentative When to use this quote - philosophical debate - personal introspection - clinical assessment - ethical deliberation Key Concepts subjective experience certainty pain pleasure Practical Applications - argumentative writing - therapy counseling Questions to Reflect On - How do affective states resist skeptical doubt? - What implications does this have for epistemic humility? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Entail Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entail-feel-446540/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Gaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaps/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain and pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-and-pleasure/) [Pain Scepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-scepticism-446539/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure And Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-and-pain/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Scepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scepticism/) [Scepticism Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scepticism-loses-446541/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) ## Related quotes > [Those who die, merely suffering the woes of life like cats and dogs, are they human beings? 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Error is neither Mind nor one of Mind's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/error-is-a-supposition-that-pleasure-and-pain-that-intelligence/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [The world of time, of space and condition, pleasure and pain, birth, growth, maturation, decay and death, spinning, spinning, spinning this world, always spinning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-world-of-time-of-space-and-condition-pleasure-and-pain-birth/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [My prize, my pleasure and pain, my endless desire. I've never know anyone like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/my-prize-my-pleasure-and-pain-my-endless-desire-i-ve-never-know/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [The mind is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and pain. Control of the mind is the highest Yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/the-mind-is-responsible-for-the-feelings-of-pleasure-and-pain-control/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [. . . this life is a perpetual chequer-work of good and evil, pleasure and pain. When in possession of what we desire, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/this-life-is-a-perpetual-chequer-work-of-good-and-evil-pleasure-and/) [Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sevigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/) > [Certainly it is wrong to be cruel to animals and the destruction of a whole species can be a great evil. 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So if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-strawson/you-do-what-you-do-in-the-circumstances-in-which-you-find-yourself/) [Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) [Explore all 7 Galen Strawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) ## More Characteristics quotes > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [“What makes a good leader? 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