Berkeley's idealism

Berkeley's idealism

1. Nothing exists that is independent of mind

   • No physical objects
     • only minds that percieve and perceptions
       • objects of perception must be percieved in order to exist

2. argues that what are percieved by senses are just qualities

   • [1] vision percieves colour, size etc, hearing is sounds etc. Each sense percieves different qualities. [2] perception of po's, nothing additional is percieved with primary and seconday q's [3] therefore everything percieved is either a primary or secondary q [4] both primary and secondary q are mind dependent [5] therefore nothing percieved exists independently of mind (objects of perception are entirely mind dependent

3. Issues

   • leads to solipsism
   • it does not give an adequate account of illusions and hallucinations
   • it cannot secure objective space and time
   • • whether God can be used to play the role He does.

4. Master argument

   • P1. If objects exist mind-independent, then they could exist without anyone thinking of them. P2. Whatever is conceived (an idea in the mind; a thought; perceived) exists in the mind P3. It is impossible (and a contradiction) to conceive of something which is unconceived. (I can’t think of something that can’t be thought of: I cannot see an unseen tree; I cannot have an idea of a tree in my mind that exists in no mind) C. Therefore, there cannot be objects that exist independent of minds.