# individuating the senses **Opening (not a real abstract):** Forthcoming in F. Macpherson (ed.) The Senses: Classic and Contemporary Individuating the Senses Fiona Macpherson The senses, or sensory modalities, constitute the different ways we have of perceiving the world, such as seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. But what makes the senses different? How many senses are there? How many could there be? What interaction takes place between the senses? This introduction is a guide to thinking about these questions. One reason that these questions are important is that we are receiving a huge influx of new information from the sciences that challenges some traditional philosophical views about the senses. This information needs to be incorporated into our view of the senses and perception. Can we do this while retaining our preexisting concepts of the senses and of perception, or do we need **Authors:** [[macpherson]]