 In answer to these doubts, Mersenne’s Christian philosopher resorts to an eclectic strategy. On the one hand, he adopts the usual Aristotelian standpoint against skepticism regarding the senses: sense perception is trustworthy, provided that its exercise takes place in “normal” and appropriate conditions. Errors occur only when the senses are affected by disease, or presented with objects whose distance, illumination, intensity, etc. exceed the normal range: