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BERKELEY 2 paragraphs 22-36

BERKELEY 2 paragraphs 22-36. A WORLD OF MINDS AND IDEAS. GEORGE BERKELEY 1685-1753. Q: If this is just one idea of Berkeley’s body, and his body is just a collection of ideas, where are the other ideas of his body? A: In other minds, especially God’s. A priori argument for idealism.

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BERKELEY 2 paragraphs 22-36

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  1. BERKELEY 2 paragraphs 22-36 A WORLD OF MINDS AND IDEAS

  2. GEORGE BERKELEY 1685-1753 • Q: If this is just one idea of Berkeley’s body, and his body is just a collection of ideas, where are the other ideas of his body? • A: In other minds, especially God’s.

  3. A priori argument for idealism Inconceivability of the unperceived (paras. 22-3) B’s Question: can you conceive something that exists unperceived? (23) [NOTE: conceivable =DEF possible =DEF imaginable]

  4. A priori argument for idealism Answer: Sure! A tree in a distant forest exists, though no one is perceiving it right now. Berkeley: But you perceive that supposed tree as an idea in your own mind. SO: sensible objects absolutely outside the mind impossible. (24)

  5. Metaphysical Detail 1 Berkeleys MONISM really requires TWO sorts of things: Minds and Ideas 1. MIND [=DEF spirit = DEF soul] is active: causes ideas, including sensations (26) 2. IDEAS are passive: cannot cause sensation (25)

  6. Metaphysical Detail 2 SPIRIT = DEF “simple, undivided, active being” (27) Composed of : i) understanding: perceiver of ideas ii) will: operator of ideas

  7. Metaphysical Glitch 1 Argument: i) An idea of X must resemble X. This is how ideas represent things. ii) Ideas are passive. SO: iii) Ideas do not resemble spirit . SO: iv) There can be no idea of spirit. SO: v) “Spirit” has no meaning!

  8. Berkeley’s Solution: “Notion” Though we have no idea of spirit, we have a “notion” of spirit. Q: How? A: We experience (hence directly know) our mind’s activity in the “making and unmaking of ideas” (28)

  9. [Berkeley’s Notional Problem] BUT: we can have a notion of matter, or of something existing unperceived, even though we have no idea of such things. REBUTTAL: no, for we have no direct experience of matter or unperceived objects—we directly experience only ideas.

  10. Metaphysical Detail 3: GOD ARGUMENT: i) I do not produce my ideas [perceptions] of objects. (29) SO: ii) some other spirit produces them. WHO?

  11. Metaphysical Detail 3: GOD iii) The objects (ideas) I perceive indicate the lawfulness, benevolence, and power (30-33) of their maker. SO: iv) The author of the ideas I perceive is GOD!

  12. All is well that ends well…. 1. Nothing is lost in rejecting “that which philosophers call matter” (35,6) [2. and God (“piety”) is regained! Note: everything we perceive that is not caused by another finite spirit, things such as sky, trees, wind,…are ideas put in our minds by God.]

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