The Philosophy of Smell and Taste

Abstract

This article undertakes a radical revision of perception theory from the point of view of the sense of smell and the taste sensation dependent on it. The philosophical tradition that originated in the Victorian era belittled human olfaction. Paul Broca believed that this attitude was due to a decrease in the areas of the human brain responsible for the sense of smell. Broca’s opinion became widespread and, as a result, it was argued that humans have “microsmaty”. The authors of this article suggest that the traditional understanding of olfaction needs to be reassessed, which is supported by modern data on human DNA: the emergence of new olfactory receptors and changes in the set of odours essential for survival. The ability to recognize smells indicates a well-developed pattern identification system. Higher mental functions (systems responsible for memory, emotions, cognitive functions and speech centres) form a unique taste perception system. The human brain itself actively produces taste sensations. Plants also have a mechanism, similar to receptors in the nose, that picks up chemical signals, allowing plants to communicate through odours, as they emit chemical signals that can trigger reactions in other plants and living organisms. Therefore, reality is more than what the eye sees. Complex theories of perception cannot be reduced to theories of vision. The article regards plant intelligence as being based on the sense of smell. Plants use odours in many ways: to attract pollinators, deter hostile insects and summon organisms to fight enemies. In addition, the article dwells on the largely understudied link between language and the sense of smell. In European culture, olfaction is rated lower than vision and hearing, which is reflected in everyday life. The paper points out cultures that have a significant number of words denoting smells, while such thinking cannot be considered visual. Thus, additional philosophical sensory organs are introduced into research along with the traditional vision and hearing.