Idealism Notes!

Immediate Objects of perception are mind dependent objects

• There is no external world independent of minds (ANTI-realism)

• We percieve ideas directly

• All that exists are ideas

• “To be is to be percieved”

Arguments For

Primary / Secondary Quality Distinction Argument

• The only thing our senses experience are qualities, nothing in addition

• Berkeley agrees secondary qualities are mind-dependent

  • Ex. Heat can be experienced as pain (mind-dependent)

• Berkeley disagrees that primary qualities are mind-independent

  • Ex. Perceptual Variation

  • Something that’s small to me may seem large to a smaller animal

  • A smooth surface is jagged under a microscope

  • Size shape and motion all differ perceptually. Therefore an obect can’t have one single size or shape independent of how it’s percieved.

Primary Qualities (Mind-dependent) + Secondary Qualities (mind-dependent)

= Reality (all mind-dependent)

Master Argument

That the very idea of mind-independent objects is inconceivable and impossible.

Philonous: Try to think of an unperceived mind-independent object

Hylas: Yes! I am thinking of an unperceived tree

Philonous: That’s impossible. You only imagine a solitary tree. You’re still thinking about the tree.

We cannot even conceive of a mind-independent object because as soon as we conceive of it, it becomes mind-dependent. It’s impossible.

Response

The conclusion doesn’t necessarily follow.

Just because it’s impossible to have an idea of a mind-independent object, it doesn’t mean that they are themselves impossible.

Arguments Against

Argument from Illusion & Hallucination