Author Question: Discuss George Berkeley's ideas regarding the whether objects exist independently of our perception ... (Read 77 times)

berenicecastro

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 581
Discuss George Berkeley's ideas regarding the whether objects exist independently of our perception of them.
 
  Need some ideas to start my assigment Thank you.

Question 2

David Hume is widely considered to be one of the greatest philosophical skeptics of all time..
 
  Discuss the meaning of skepticism in epistemology.



ergserg

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 338
Answer to Question 1

- George Berkeley: subjective idealism (the belief that only ideas and conscious minds have actual existence) expressed as esse est percipi (To be is to be perceived).
- Using the example of the table, Berkeley admits that there must be something which continues to exist when we are not perceiving it, and seeing the table gives us reason to believe that there is something that persists even when we are not seeing it. But he thinks that this something cannot be radically different in nature from what we see, and cannot be independent of seeing altogether, though it must be independent of our seeing. He is thus led to regard the real table as an idea in the mind of God.
- What the senses immediately tell us is not the truth about the object as it is apart from us, but only the truth about certain sense-data which, so far as we can see, depend upon the relations between us and the object. Thus what we directly see and feel is merely appearance, which we believe to be a sign of some reality behind.

Answer to Question 2

- In epistemology, skepticism is a school of thought that casts doubt on the possibility of achieving genuine knowledge.
- Skepticism includes positions such as doubting all assumptions until proved or claiming that no knowledge is possible in any circumstances.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

About 3.2 billion people, nearly half the world population, are at risk for malaria. In 2015, there are about 214 million malaria cases and an estimated 438,000 malaria deaths.

Did you know?

Drugs are in development that may cure asthma and hay fever once and for all. They target leukotrienes, which are known to cause tightening of the air passages in the lungs and increase mucus productions in nasal passages.

Did you know?

There are over 65,000 known species of protozoa. About 10,000 species are parasitic.

Did you know?

Persons who overdose with cardiac glycosides have a better chance of overall survival if they can survive the first 24 hours after the overdose.

Did you know?

The tallest man ever known was Robert Wadlow, an American, who reached the height of 8 feet 11 inches. He died at age 26 years from an infection caused by the immense weight of his body (491 pounds) and the stress on his leg bones and muscles.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library