(1685-1753)

Born in Kilkenny Attended Trinity

College in Dublin. Irish Philosopher Primary Achievement-

Theory of immaterialism.

Influenced by John Locke

Main interests: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Mathematics and Perception.

INFLUENCE Ehh….

John Locke was the predecessor of Berkeley.

Disagreed STRONGLY with Locke.

Locke had a theory of knowledge in which the subject was closed within himself. He looked at subjective impressions (ideas) rather than objects.

From Locke’s theory, Would it ever be possible to admit an external reality corresponding to only ideas?? Don’t think so

Immaterial World Believed that there was no material in the

world. The only world that existed was a world of

spirits, dominated by God. Wanted to restore the spiritual and

Christian values. Made Locke's freethinkers fall into disbelief

of the primary and secondary qualities. Proved that Locke’s theory was in vain.

Perception Omne esse est percipi."

(To be is to be perceived)

If we say something exists, what we really mean is.. that we can perceive it.

The universe had two entities:◦Spirits (which perceive)◦ Ideas (which are perceived)

PERCEIVE IT!1. Any knowledge of the

empirical world is to be obtained only through direct perception.

2. Error comes about through thinking about what individuals perceive.

3. Knowledge of the empirical world of people, things and actions around them may be purified and perfected merely by stripping away all thought, and with it language, from their pure perceptions.

1. The ideal form of scientific knowledge is to be obtained by pursuing pure de-intellectualized perceptions.

2. If individuals would pursue these, we would be able to obtain the deepest insights into the natural world and the world of human thought and action that is available to man.

3. The goal of all science, therefore, is to de-intellectualize or de-conceptualize, and thereby purify, human perceptions.

World of Spirits Even though he denied that there was a

material world, he did however believe in a world of spirits.◦He proved this through his belief in the entity of

ideas.

Believed in the existence of God.◦God determined the idea of our spirits.

Speaks to us through the laws of nature

Spirit

Active Revealed through imagination and memory, which makes us recall ideas.

Passive Proven by the idea that the spirits perceive ideas that it didn’t produce.

We don’t choose what we see or don’t.

"Some truths there are so near and obvious to the mind that a man need only opens his eyes to see them. Such I take this important one to be, to wit, that all the choir of heaven and the furniture of earth, in a word all those bodies which compose the mighty frame of the world, have not any subsistence without a mind, that their being is to be perceived..."