Idealism

• idealism

  everything that exists is dependent on a mind or is a mind. all physical objects are ideas existing mind-dependently. The only thing we can prove exists is our mind. There is no external world 🌍 existing mind-independently, we perceive ideas directly

  
  

  The universe is sustained in existence via God, God directly causes our ideas and sense data
• likeness principle

  Sense experiences can only be like other sense experiences. Sensations and ideas cannot resemble anything beyond the mind
• Berkeley's master argument

  Shows the idea that objects are mind-independent is impossible

  • Philonous & Hylas are debating mind-dependent/independent objects
  • Philonous says it's impossible to conceive different qualities of the object outside the mind
  • Hylas thinks of a tree existing independent of the mind.
  • Philonous says Hylas' thinking of the tree exists dependently of his mind, he is imagining and thinking of a tree created in his mind.
  • We can think of the idea of a tree, but not a tree that exists independently of the mind, therefore objects can only exist mind-dependently
• Vivid dreams

  An intense dream that evokes strong emotions & can be remembered when someone is awake
• veridical experience


  Perceptions of physical objects directly as they exist
• Criticism of idealism

  Illusions, hallucinations and dreams

  Idealism doesn't explain the differences between illusions and veridical perception. (e.g. Illusion, crooked pencil)

  • Berkeley argues if you are imagining something e.g dreaming you can easily distinguish it between veridical experiences & imagination, even vivid drams are not as vivid as reality
• Materialist


  the belief nothing exists except matter & its movements and modification. The matter is not dependent on God or us for its existence
• How are our perceptions distinct from God?

  • We perceive what's in our minds, not God''s
  • God doesn't have sensual experiences (e.g pain) like we do, different perceptual experiences
  • For humans when we stop perceiving an object it ceases to exist (according to idealism). God is always perceiving everything, it is unchanging and eternal
  • What humans perceive isn't always what God's mind is
• Materialists, perception


  The world is completely material

  • They object ct the idea everything comes from God's mind
  • Objects exist externally as matter, not just in the mind
  • Matter exists mind-independently, not even the mind of God is needed for matter to exist
• Berkley attacks Locke's primary/secondary qualities distinction and argues the only thing our senses perceive are qualities and nothing in addition.

  He argues instead:

  • Everything we perceive is either a primary or secondary quality, these are both mind-dependent
  • Everything we perceive is mind-dependent
• Berkeley uses the argument of perceptual variation to support his idea that primary qualities depend on the mind 🤯

  • Something looking small to me seems large to a small animal 😲
  • A smooth surface may look jagged under a microscope 🔬

  Berkeley argues therefore objects cannot have one single quality (e.g. size, shape) therefore, primary and secondary qualities are mind-dependent
• A criticism of Berkeley's master argument is that the conclusion doesn't necessarily follow: just because it's impossible to have an idea of a mind-independent object, it doesn't mean mind-independent objects themselves are impossible
• God as the cause of perceptions

  As an answer to what causes perceptions in idealism, Berkley argues it is God. The cause of our perceptions must be another mind, given the complexity, variety, order and manner of my perceptions; this mind must be God
• Berkeley uses the idea of God and explains God is constantly perceiving everything we perceive internally in His mind. All physical objects constantly exist in the mind of God. We perceive objects when God wills us to perceive this
• Issues with idealism

  The role of God

  Berkley says we perceive ideas 💡 that exist in God's mind, but this explanation conflicts with Berkeley's conception of God

  Berkley says God is perfect and doesn't feel pain, yet, as humans we often feel pain. So If our perception of pain is an idea 💡 in God's mind, surely God must feel pain too? Contradicting Berkeley's idea of God
• Berkeley's response to issue of the role of God

  He responds by saying ideas like pain exist in God's understanding. god doesn't feel pain 😔 himself but understands what it is for us to feel pain. When we feel pain, it is what God is willing us to perceive
• Berkeley's response to the issue of the role of God is arguably weak as we can push 🫸 this response further and argue that our perceptions constantly change from one moment to the next and yet God is seen as unchanging. If my perceptions are ideas in God's mind and my perceptions are constantly changing, surely God must change too?
• Solipsism

  The view that one's mind is the only thing that exists
• Issues with idealism

  Solipsism 


  Berkeley's argument that everything we perceive is mind-dependent suggests that there is no reason to believe anything exists beyond our own experience. If "to be is to be perceived" what reason do I have to believe other people and objects exist when I'm not 🚫 perceiving them e.g. when I'm asleep 😴

  It seems absurd to imply that nothing exists unless I'm perceiving it, the world didn't exist before I was born 👶 and doesn't exist when I fall asleep 😪 - this seems impossible!
• Berkeley's response to the solipsism criticism is that God exists and he perceives everything, even when I'm not perceiving