BERKELEY 1
paragraphs 1-21
THE EXTERNAL WORLD
IS UNNECESSARY AND
IMPOSSIBLE
GEORGE BERKELEY 1685-1753

An idea of
the picture
of George
Berkeley
Berkeley’s discovery of a paradox
New Theory of Vision (1709)
In the research leading to his first book
Berkeley discovered that distance from
the observer is not seen, but inferred
from: size of image
layering of images
clarity or fuzziness
angle between optical axes
Berkeley’s discovery of a paradox
But Berkeley is an empiricist (para. 1), so:
1. The senses are the standard of what is
real or not.
2. So, if distance from oneself is not seen
then there is no reason to believe it is
real.
3. Thus what we see is not at a distance
from us, but in our minds.
Crucial Definition
Body = collection of ideas
[sensations] (para. 1)
Crucial Principle
“…the existence of an idea
consists in being perceived.”
(para. 2):
[SO: the existence of bodies
consists in being perceived.
(by Definition)]
Berkeley’s Epigram
“Esse est percipi aut percipere.”
(para. 2, cf. para. 3)
“To be is to be perceived [bodies]
or to perceive [minds].”
ARGUMENT [1]
“what is meant by the term exist when
applied to sensible things”
a) actual perception
and/or
b) possible perception (para. 3)
ARGUMENT [2]
a) Sensible objects =DEF objects that
can be sensed. (paras. 4, 5)
b) Objects that can be [immediately
sensed] =DEF ideas [Locke]
c) The senses make no inferences
SO: Unperceived sensible object is
contradiction, inconceivable.
ARGUMENT [3]
Regarding Primary Qualities:
1. “extension, figure, and motion are
only ideas existing in the mind.”
(para. 9)
2. only ideas are like ideas.
So: material bodies are ideas
ARGUMENT [4]
Primary Qualities conceived only via
Secondary Qualities. (p. 10, 15)
So impossible to conceive bodies
without secondary qualities.
But secondary qualities exist only in
the mind.
So: bodies exist only in the mind.
ARGUMENT [5]
Primary Qualities are (like secondary)
relative (paras. 11, 12): no absolute
size, shape, motion, number, etc.
But relativity is proof of status as
secondary quality, and secondary
qualities are in mind only.
So: objects exist only in the mind.
ARGUMENT [6]
Secondary Quality inconsistencies also
apply to Primary Qs (para. 14): just as
water may be warm and cold at same
time, objects may be small and large
at same time, etc.
Such inconsistencies are proof of
secondary quality status, hence of
existence only in mind.
ARGUMENT [7]: EPISTEMOLOGY
No way to know existence of material
bodies (paras. 18-20)
Must be known either by sense or by
reason, but
- not by sense, since only ideas can
be perceived (18)
- not by reason, since no necessary
connexion between ideas and
objects (18)
ARGUMENT [8]: METAPHYSICS
Body acting upon spirit is
inconceivable (para 19)
The MIND-BODY PROBLEM
stemming from Cartesian
INTERACTIVE DUALISM
and kept by Locke is INSOLUBLE.
SO: Berkeley is MONIST: there is but
one substance: Mind/Ideas