Idealism Kareem Khalifa Philosophy Department Middlebury College

Overview I.Background II.Locke III.Berkeley on ideas IV.Primary & secondary qualities V.Conceptual realism & idealism VI.Master argument

I. Background A.Idealism B.Idealism & skepticism

II. Locke A.Representational realism B.Representation & reality

III. Berkeley’s theory of ideas A.Imagism & abstract ideas B.More on imagism

IV. Berkeley on primary & secondary qualities A.Big Picture B.Argument for B1

V. Conceptual realism & idealism A.Big Picture B.Argument from relativity C.Problems with relativity

VI. Berkeley’s master argument A.Simple version B.Problems with the simple version C.Modal version: background D.Modal argument

Modal argument: 1 st chunk 1.Hylas conceives that there is some x that is unconceived. 2.There is some x such that Hylas conceives of x as being unconceived. (1, PS) 3.If there is some x such that someone conceives of x as being unconceived, then there is some possible world w at which x exists and x is unconceived. (PP) 4.There is some possible world w at which x exists and x is unconceived. (2,3)

Modal argument: 2 nd Chunk 4.There is some possible world w at which x exists and x is unconceived. (2,3) 5.If it’s true in w that x is unconceived, then there is no thing y in any possible world such that y conceives of x as it is at w. (PTC) 6.There is no thing y in any possible world such that y conceives of x as it is at w. (4,5)

Modal argument: 3 rd Chunk 6.There is no thing y in any possible world such that y conceives of x as it is at w. (4,5) 7.Hylas is in some possible world. 8.Hylas does not conceive of x. (6,7) 9.So Hylas both conceives of x and does not conceive of x (2,8). 10.Hylas is not (really) thinking that there are unconceived things. (1-9 reductio ad absurdum)

Recap Idealism can be a systematic view about all of reality However, the arguments in support involve some controversial premises (imagism, relativity)