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The Empiricists: Berkeley Idealism

The Empiricists: Berkeley Idealism. 1. Introduction. Outline. 2. Idealism and Skepticism. 3. Minds. 4. God. 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense. Introduction Berkeley’s Idealism. From Immaterialism to Idealism Negative part: denial of the absolute existence of a material substance

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The Empiricists: Berkeley Idealism

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  1. The Empiricists: Berkeley Idealism Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  2. 1. Introduction Outline 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  3. Introduction Berkeley’s Idealism • From Immaterialism to Idealism • Negative part: denial of the absolute existence of a material substance • Positive part: Ideas exist and knowledge is possible • Main challenges • Not a skeptical view • Compatible with common sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  4. 1. Introduction Outline 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  5. Idealism and Skepticism Berkeley’s idealism: Nothing exists but ideas in minds • Does it lead to skepticism? NO! • Ordinary objects exist • Ordinary objects exists as we perceive them • New definition of existence (not denial) • In denying the existence of anything ``beyond mere appearances”, Berkeley avoids the skeptic conclusion • ``Mere” appearances are the real thing! Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  6. 1. Introduction Outline 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  7. Ideas and Minds • Fundamental Constituents of the world: • Ideas, sure, but also… • Minds • What difference does it make? • Economical ontology • Ontology compatible with empiricism • Interaction between ideas and minds intelligible • Metaphysical views more acceptable than any dualism matter / thought Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  8. 1. Introduction Outline 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  9. God is watching The proof of the existence of God: P1 Things exist independently of me and of any particular minds CC There must be an infinite mind, always perceiving everything • Berkeley’s God: • warrants the existence of the world, independently of us perceiving it • also responsible for the order of the world (laws of nature) • This exhausts Berkeley’s metaphysical views! Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  10. 1. Introduction Outline 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

  11. Conclusion Berkeley’s idealism (1) Metaphysics: All there exists are ideas and minds (2) Epistemology: Direct access to empirical knowledge (3) Avoids skepticism and reconciles philosophy with common sense! “A piece of sensible bread, for example, would stay in my stomach better than ten thousand times as much of that insensible, unintelligible, real bread you speak of. Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

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