Idealism

#1 10-21-2005, 12:18 AM

I was just curious what you guys thought of idealism. We have been reading Berkley in my philosophy class and just wanted to hear any arguments for or against it. It makes sense to what he says, but the fact that nothing really exists besides ideas and our minds seems absurd. Thanks

MMMMMM · #2 10-21-2005, 12:57 AM

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It makes sense to what he says, but the fact that nothing really exists besides ideas and our minds seems absurd.

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Maybe that's because it isn't a fact.

#3 10-21-2005, 01:05 AM

Well, like a lot of issues in philosophy, there is no facts. Thats why people discuss them. I was asking for arguments.

hmkpoker · #4 10-21-2005, 09:42 AM

Idealism is just an idea that people are too lazy or dumb to accomplish. Civil rights wasn't idealism; they did it.

#5 10-21-2005, 03:46 PM

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Idealism is just an idea that people are too lazy or dumb to accomplish. Civil rights wasn't idealism; they did it.

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I have no idea what you are trying to say

#6 10-21-2005, 07:14 PM

Berekely is hard to argue against imo except that his arguments get more and more complicated with recreating the world all the time etc.

Seems like itd be simpler to just say things exist.

chezlaw · #7 10-22-2005, 02:39 PM

The problem with idealism is that it seems to get forced into solipsism or it has to explain why different minds have a common perception if there's no reality outside the mind i.e. how comes we can all agree who won a football match.

Berkeley's solution is that the consistency is supported by the mind of god but as far as I can see that's identical to realism+god so why not just go for realism.

chez

kbfc · #8 10-22-2005, 06:37 PM

Berkeley's Idealism = baseless speculative thrashing.

bearly · #9 10-22-2005, 06:54 PM

hi, read ralph barton perry's article (it's been a while) "the egocentric predicament", also selected parts of james (perry was his biographer eventually), and of course, the tractatus and the investigations---wittgenstein is a lot more accessable today w/ 50 or more years of commentaries on his work. also any basic material on semiotics..................b

kbfc · #10 10-22-2005, 08:30 PM

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and of course, the tractatus and the investigations---wittgenstein is a lot more accessable today w/ 50 or more years of commentaries on his work.

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not a fun read. pretty interesting, though, if you trudge through it.