Berkleys critique of abstract idea discride

1. Berkleys Critique of Abstract idea

2. Contd.
• He refutes the idea on logical and
Psychological grounds.
• Any perceived quality is found inseparably
mixed with other qualities.
• Redness of Rose is always found with other
qualities of smell, softness, smoothness etc.
• How can we think of redness existing apart
from other qualities of the rose?

3. Contd.
• Locke Points out that the abstract idea of Man will be one
which is tall and short, fair and dark, dull and intelligent.
• Same idea will contain all and yet none of these?
• Berkley believes we have no faculty of framing abstract
ideas.
• Meaning if we are to imagine a man he must be either
black or white, tall or small.
• I cannot simply imagine a man without his qualities.
• Similarly I can not form the idea of movement without a
body moving.
• Why this question?

4. Contd.
• The real aim was to establish immaterialism.
• Matter is an abstract idea “ For it means something
which is moving or stationary, hard and soft etc.
• It means something existing apart from it being
perceived. But something independent of our
perception.
• Everything in our actual idea is always in our
perception.
• Thus matter is an abstract idea.
• But an abstract idea does not exist.
• Hence matter does not exist.

5. Immaterialism
• Berkley has rejected matter on many grounds
some of which are given below.
• The refutation of matter as an abstract idea.
• Berkley's whole aim was religious.
• Berkley believed in spiritualism, this
necessitated the need for refutation of
materialism.

6. Rejection of distinction between
primary and secondary qualities.
• According to Locke and Descartes primary
qualities are Extension, Figure, solidity motion
rest and numbers.
• Secondary qualities are Color, Heat cold etc.
supposed to be perceived.
• But primary qualities are also ideas. Ideas are
mental.
• Hence even primary qualities are mental,
Hence there is no matter.

7. A systematic refutation
• Berkley systematically refutes these ideas one
by one.

8. God and self
• The existence of thing as distinguished from spirit consists in being
perceived.
• 3 Kinds of spirits
• Myself, Others and God.
• I an intuitively aware of my own existence? HOW
• Other spirits can be proven by analogy.
• If I move a table and other table is moved by some one else than He
must be also like me.
• Infinite spirit can be proven by a) I am aware of succession of ideas.
• B) Their must be some cause of it.
• Which is either matter, some other idea or spirit.
• A and b being passive can not be active agents of cause,
• Hence their must be a supreme Spirit called GOD.