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

2. 2Outline 1. Introduction 2. Idealism and Skepticism 3. Minds 4. God 5. Conclusion: Idealism and Common Sense

3. 3Introduction Berkeley’s Idealism Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 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

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

5. 5 Idealism and Skepticism Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 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

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

7. 7 Ideas and Minds Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 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

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

9. 9 God is watching Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 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)

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

11. 11Conclusion Berkeley’s idealism Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana (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.