1. We only know our mind and ideas.
Primary
and secondary qualities are both subjective.
They exist only in the mind.
Arguments:
If a quality is relative, then
it is subjective.
Primary and secondary qualities are relative.
Primary and secondary qualities are subjective.
Primary qualities cannot exist
apart from secondary qualities.
Secondary
qualities cannot exist apart from a mind.
Primary
qualities cannot exist apart from a mind.
2. Mental
substance supports primary and secondary
qualities.
Ideas depend on perceiving minds for their existence.
3. We do not know abstract concepts.
(nominalism)
A concept is an picture in the mind.
We can only picture particular things.
Abstract concepts stands for groups of similar particular things.
Matter (material substance) is an abstract meaningless concept.
Matter does not exist.
The idea of a thing that is not an
idea is unimaginable.
4. To be is
to be perceived, or to perceive. ("Esse est
percipi")
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Wood, stone,
fire, water, flesh, iron . . . are
things that I know. And, I should
not know them, but that I perceive
them . . . [, and] things . . .
perceived are ideas; and ideas
cannot exist without the mind; their
existence, therefore, consists in
being perceived . . . .
George Berkeley,
Three Dialogues between Hylas and
Philonous
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This leads to solipsism - only the self
exists.
People believe their cars and houses exist
unperceived.
These are objects of the
senses.
It's a contradiction to think that
sensations exist unperceived.
Note:
We are saying the cause of sensations exists unperceived.
We are not saying that the sensations exist unperceived.
5. Material
objects are bundles of sensations/ideas.
Subjective Idealism
Occam's Razor
Naive Realism - Things exist exactly as we perceive them.
Berkeley's Problem:
a). All we
perceive are ideas.
b). We
know the existences of physical objects.
c). Physical objects are not ideas.
Berkeley's Solution:
c). Physical objects are bundles of
sensations.
Arguments:
Task - Conceive of anything
existing unperceived.
Physical
things are sensations.
Sensations depend on a mind;
Therefore,
physical things depend on a mind.
Physical
objects are objects of knowledge.
Objects of
knowledge are ideas.
Ideas are mental and in the mind.
Therefore,
physical objects are mental and in the mind.
1. P > O
2. O > I
3. I > (M • I) / P > (M • I)
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4. P
AP
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5. O
1, 4 MP
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6. I
2, 5 MP
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7. M • I
3, 6 MP
8. P > (M • I) 4-7 CP
6. God
perceives reality.
Sensible
things don't depend on human minds.
To
be is to be perceived.
God must perceive them.
Berkeley
is a subjective idealist:
There are individual minds and the external mind
of God.
Objective idealism: everything is the mind
of God.
Omniscience is the basic nature of reality.
Solution to the problem of evil.
