Idealism Flashcards
What is Idealism?
Idealism argues that objects are only collections of ideas, which are mind-dependant.
What is Berkley’s attack on primary and secondary qualities?
Primary qualities depend on percpective, so are mind-dependant. He argues that without secondary qualities the object does not exist, and neither so the primay qualities. So primary and secondary qualities ae the same.
What is Berkley’s master argument?
It is contradictory to say i am conceiving an unconceivable object, and it is impossible to conceive of an object outside of ones mind, so all objects must be mind-dependant.
Russel argues that Berkley simply conceives the idea of an object, not the object itself. So it is not a contradiction to say that the object is mind-independant.
Issues including:
Argument from hallucination
Hylas says that if all that exists are ideas, then whats the difference between hallucinations and real perception if theyre both mind-dependant. Berkley says that real perception is vivid, while dreams and hallucination are faint, so can be told apart.
Issues including:
Argument from illusion
Hylas asks that if we have an idea of a bent straw, does that mean the straw is really bent, or that our perception is wrong. Berkley says that neither, but you’d be wrong for thinking that the straw is bent after taking it out the water.
Issues including:
Idealism leads to solipsism.
Idealism can lead to solipsism as it would be a contradiction to say that other minds exist independantly from mine. Berkley says that we rather have a notion of god and other minds by reflecting on our own. This might help him avoid solipsism as he can prove gods existence by recognising objects need an infinite perceiver to continue to exist.
Issues including:
Problems with the role played by god
Hylas says that if all ideas are in the mind of god, then god must have the idea of/ be able to experience evil and suffering. And since suffering is against our will, can god experience anything against gods will? Berkely says that god has no sensory experiences, rather he has an intellectual understanding of it. Since he gave humans free will, evil comes from our will, we have distinct minds. (But what about natural disasters or illness?)
