Perception

(pur-sip's hun.) [From L. perceptio.] (Logic.) The first act of the mind, which consists in the reception of ideas concerning external objects, through the medium of the senses. It has been well observed that the first objects which strike our senses give us our first ideas; and our wants are the cause of our attention; the repetition of these ideas, and the development of new wants, give birth to our sentiments and thoughts. The eyes convey the ideas of color, the ears those of sound, the nostrils those of odor, and the palate those of taste. These have no connection with each other-they are separate ideas of different qualities of bodies; but the sense of touch unites the whole in one object, which may happen to be at the same time colored, sonorous, odorous, and savory. [s. 696]