The Hand That Recognizes a Shape
Written by Studio AM.
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Imagine a person blind from birth but able to recognize a cube and a sphere by touch. If sight were later gained, could that person identify the shapes by looking alone, before touching them again?
This question was posed to philosopher John Locke by William Molyneux. It asks whether knowledge learned through one sense automatically connects to another. The hand knows the cube through flat surfaces and edges. The eye receives patterns of light. Are those two patterns already linked, or must experience build the connection?
The puzzle is not a test of intelligence. A person might understand both shapes through touch and still need time to learn how visual depth and outline correspond to them. In a small 2011 study, newly sighted participants initially struggled to match seen objects with objects known by touch. Their ability improved after visual experience. Recovery and earlier light experience still matter when interpreting such studies.
Molyneux's problem remains useful because it turns a broad question about learning into a concrete choice between two objects. The case shows that “knowing a shape” may involve several abilities rather than one simple piece of knowledge.
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Questions
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Question 1 of 4
What is the main idea of the passage?
The answer is B: Molyneux's problem asks whether knowledge gained by touch transfers immediately to sight or requires new learning.
The passage repeatedly contrasts tactile recognition with an untested visual connection and explains why the case matters.
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Question 2 of 4
Why does the passage say the puzzle is not an intelligence test?
The answer is C: A person can understand shapes through touch while still lacking a learned link to visual patterns.
The third paragraph separates knowledge within one sense from the connection between senses.
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Question 3 of 4
What does “correspond” mean in the third paragraph?
The answer is D: match or relate to one another
The learner must connect visual depth and outline with the already known tactile shape.
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Question 4 of 4
Which two objects appear in the original question?
The answer is A: a cube and a sphere
The opening scenario explicitly names a cube and a sphere.
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