Berkley's Idealism

Question 1

What does idealism mean?

Answer 1

the view that the immediate objects of perception are ordinary objects and these objects are mind-dependent objects.

Question 2

What is Berkeley’s idealism?

Answer 2

The immediate objects of perception are ordinary objects which are mind dependent. Berkeley’s idealism has 3 claims:
1. anti realist claim: All that exists are minds and their ideas. Ordinary objects are nothing more than collections of ideas
2. Ideas claim: We immediately perceive mind independent ideas
3. Theism: God exists as the cause of our ideas and of their coherence.

Question 3

What is Berkley’s attack on John’s variation argument.

Answer 3

If a property is subject to interpersonal and intrapersonal perceptual variation then that property is mind dependent. Both properties * are subject to the types of variation, meaning both properties are mind dependent so there is no distinction.

*secondary and primary

Question 4

What is Berkley’s attack on John’s conceivability argument.

Answer 4

An object with primary properties but without any secondary properties is inconceivable. If such an object is inconceivable then it is impossible, meaning both “primary” and “secondary” properties must both be essential properties of objects. Therefore they must both be in the mind*.

* since secondary properties are in the mind

Question 5

What is berkeley’s master argument?

Answer 5

Mind-independent objects are inconceivable because the moment you attempt to conceive of one, what you conceive of is in the mind and so is mind-dependent. If X is inconceivable then X is impossible. Therefore, mind-independent objects are impossible. Therefore realism is impossible and so false.