Idealism

Question 1

Briefly summarise the argument of Idealism

Answer 1

1. All we know comes from experience
2. We only ever experience ideas/sense data

Therefore, all that exists is minds and ideas

(If we only understand matter through sense data, then the idea of matter as an independent substance can be rejected as we could have never experienced a sensation to confirm it’s existence)

Question 2

List the Idealist arguments against the existence of ‘matter’

Answer 2

1. Physical objects are just “collections of ideas”
2. The Master Argument
3. Criticisms of Primary and Secondary Qualities

Question 3

Explain the ‘Physical objects are just “collections of ideas’ Idealist argument against the existence of matter

Answer 3

Objects are just the set ideas one has for it, e.g. shape/smell/taste. When you take away these aspects, which are merely one’s own experience, you would be left with nothing

Question 4

Explain the ‘The Master Argument’ Idealist argument against the existence of matter

Answer 4

Berkeley believes that even if you are asked to imagine a chair, you are still imagining yourself perceiving the chair. You cannot imagine a chair which is in a room with nobody there to perceive it.

Question 5

Explain the ‘Criticisms of Primary and Secondary Qualities’ Idealist argument against the existence of matter

Answer 5

Locke argues that our sense data represents the primary qualities of the matter.

HOWEVER, Berkeley asks how we can compare sense data and matter if we cannot perceive them both. Therefore, Locke’s idea of ‘resemblance’ makes no sense.

Question 6

List four criticisms of Idealism

Answer 6

1. God
2. Illusions
3. The continued existence of objects
4. The Flaw in the Master Argument

Question 7

Outline the ‘God’ criticism of Idealism

Answer 7

Berkeley claims that, God is a better explanation for the cause of ideas than matter because God is more similar to us

However, matter is finite as are humans, and matter exists within space and time too. Some philosophers argue that consciousness is the arrangement of complex matter in our brains, and that the “spirit” or “soul” doesn’t exist

(Further, Berkeley argues we know what exists through experience, yet he believes in the existence of God)

Question 8

Outline the ‘Illusions’ criticism of Idealism (include reply)

Answer 8

Berkeley claims that, nothing exists but minds and ideas. Nothing else exists beyond their perceived qualities

However, if there is no “real” objects then we cannot distinguish between illusions and reality

In reply, Berkeley says that it is our expectation that is wrong (e.g. expecting the stick in the water to be bent once taken out)

Question 9

Outline the ‘The continued existence of objects’ criticism of Idealism (include reply)

Answer 9

Berkeley claims that, “to be is to be perceived”

However, the regular and predictable nature of the world does not suggest that things just pop in and out of existence. (e.g. returning to a bath that you left running, the water would have risen)

In reply, Berkeley says we may not have been perceiving the bath, but GOD was.

Question 10

Outline the ‘The Flaw in the Master Argument’ criticism of Idealism

Answer 10

Berkeley’s Master Argument claims that, whatever you imagine, you are imagining a perception. Berkeley holds an “imagist” theory of ideas, meaning all ideas are mental pictures.

However, this does not mean we cannot have an idea of an unperceived object, like an ‘a thousand-sided shape’. We just don’t necessarily picture the shape, but we can conceive the idea of one