Wilfrid Sellars’ critique of sense data theories

Resumen

Sellars criticized the sense-datum theory as a form of 'the Myth of the Given' in the first and second parts of his article 'Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind'. In the present article, only his criticisms in the first part have been examined. He presented two critiques of sense data theory. At the end, I have concluded that both of his criticisms contain multiple flaws. He overlooked one possible logical alternative, misinterpreted Russell's 'knowledge by acquaintance', categorized sense-datum theory under the Myth of the Given, and erroneously presumed that this theory must endorse all six propositions he listed and that sense contents cannot justify beliefs without implicating them. His objections ultimately lack the force he claims.