He could have no awareness. But so long as
any one sense channel remains open the mind may acquire some knowledge.
Suppose I am paralyzed, blind, and deaf, and you put a tennis-ball into
my hand. I cannot tell you what it is, not even what it is like. It
means nothing whatever to me, for the sense channels of touch, sight,
and hearing, through which alone it could be impressed upon my brain,
are gone. Suppose I am blind and deaf, but have my sense of touch
intact; that I never saw or touched or heard of a tennis-ball before,
but I know "apple" and "orange." I can judge that the object is round,
that it is about the size of a small orange or apple. It is very light,
and has a feel of cloth. I know it to be something new in my experience.
You tell me in the language of touch that it is "tennis-ball"; and
thereafter I recognize it by its combination of size, feel, and weight,
and can soon name it as quickly as you, who see it.
Suppose I am blind and my hands are paralyzed, but I have my hearing.
You tell me this is a tennis-ball, and if I have known "tennis-ball" in
the past, I can describe it to you.
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