Cross-modal identity and multi-sensory objects

In this talk I focus on the question of whether we can perceive an individual thing as having features perceived with more than sense, that is, on whether there are multi-sensory objects of experience. Recent discussion of this issue has focussed on cross-modal binding – on whether we experience features of objects as ‘bound’ together across modalities: when I perceive a ball as hard and red is the hardness I feel bound together with the redness I see? I argue that this approach is mistaken. I suggest instead that we should focus on the question of cross-modal identity – on whether we experience individual things as such with more than one sense modality. I argue that this question cannot be answered by appeal to the nature of experience, but may be answered by appealing to the nature of cross-modal attention. I outline what kinds of empirical evidence might bear on the question, and end by drawing out the consequences for our conception of the senses and sensor integration.