Introspecting in the 20th century

Introspection in the 20th century is a vast topic. It has been a focus of interest as a method of investigation and as a psychological and epistemic capacity itself. The author highlights the lack or loss of influence in certain cases, resulting in a more rudimentary conception of the use of introspection towards the end of the century than the often quite sophisticated earlier debates about it would warrant. Moore's paper 'The Refutation of Idealism' seems a good starting point because it was published at the beginning of the century in 1903, and also because it bridges different philosophical epochs. He insists that his enquiry is squarely philosophical: 'we must simply examine seeing and touching for ourselves and do the best we can'. For example, there were disputes about what sort of qualities are part of what is presented in phenomenal consciousness and what kinds of objects we are immediately phenomenally conscious of, which are the bearers of such qualities.