Exam (elaborations)
Idealism Philosophy Epistemology essay
- Institution
- AQA
25 mark essay answering 'Assess Idealism'. Comments on Berkley's 'Master Argument'. Grade A student.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Philosophy AQA Idealism essayAssess Idealism (25 marks)
Idealism proposed by Berkeley is an anti-realist perspective which rejects
the view that objects themselves are real as well as the idea that the mind-
independent external world exists. The theory characterises itself around the
notion objects only exist when they are being perceived by a mind and
uses God to show the sustaining of the external world as well as the
coherency of its nature.
Berkeley critiques realist theories, such as direct realism and indirect realism,
on two grounds. These are their belief over the existence of the external world
and more specifically Locke’s primary and secondary distinction which
attempts to demonstrate some properties are mind-independent, which
Idealism refuses.
Berkeley claims that Locke is wrong to believe there are two different
types of qualities, one of which is mind-dependent and one of which is
mind-independent, as there is only one mind-dependent quality. Locke’s
distinction separates primary qualities, qualities of the object itself such as
shape and size, and secondary qualities, which are subjective to each
individual such as colour, taste and smell, by claiming whilst secondary
qualities are subject to changes in the perceiver primary qualities can not
change and are mind-independent. Berkeley however disagrees, claiming
primary qualities can change, for instance what appears small to a human
appears large to an insect and therefore both are mind-dependent and
everything else that exists also is. Whilst at first this appears to be a
convincing argument for Idealism, some may argue that this is a weak critique
of realist theories as relational qualities are not measurable qualities, if the
size was measured it would numerically not change at all and therefore would
still be mind-independent disproving Idealism’s claim all that exists is mind-
dependent phenomena.
Berkeley however poses the ‘Master Argument’ to prove Idealism, named
‘master’ due to his belief it is the only argument required to prove Idealism
true. The argument asks an individual to think of a mind-independent tree that
is not perceived by anyone else, however in thinking of such a tree it is being
perceived by one's own mind. This shows that no object exists mind-
independently, every object relies on the existence of the mind which is the
hypothesis of Idealism. Initially this argument appears strong as it appeals to
logic and can be demonstrated easily by a simple thought process. Although
the argument faces many criticisms, such as the view it conflates an object
itself, such as a tree with the idea of the object. A realist may agree that yes it
is impossible to conceive of ‘the idea of a tree’ that is mind-independent as
that is the very nature of ideas, but this does not mean that the object itself
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller dulcieprimrose. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73918 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now