1. After the first dialogue, Hylas admits, he is a skeptic—but so are you, he says to Philonous Phil: Not so! Skepticism only follows if you start by assuming mind independent objects. Hylas what are objects if they are not mind independent?

2. Material things are collections of ideas Each perception is one part of a much larger bundle. Ordinary physical objects are just these bundles of ideas. In this way Berkeley preserves the “direct” part of direct realism by rejecting the “realism” part. He is not denying the reality of material things— He is giving a new definition of what is to be a thing.

3. What happens when we leave the room? Objects still exist when human beings and animals are not perceiving them. Also there is much in the universe that is not perceived by any human being or animal. How can this be? I Berkeley: there needs to be a perceiver, but the perceiver for most things in the universe is God. In perceiving God sustains the being of the whole natural world.

4. An argument for God’s existence Some of my ideas are caused by me, some are not (the perceptual ideas) All ideas require a cause. It does not make any sense to suppose that mind independent material things cause my ideas (think of the critique of indirect realism) But minds CAN cause ideas. (we know this from our own case, when we think or imagine)

5. Proof of God cont. Therefore, there is a mind that is causing my perceptual ideas. But my perceptual ideas are much more vivid and coherent than any ideas I create. Therefore the cause of my perceptual ideas must be correspondingly greater than me It must be a very wise, powerful mind, that is, God.

6. Philonous: “To be plain, it is my opinion that the real things are those very things I see and feel, and perceive with my sensess… A piece of sensible bread, for instance, would stay my stomach better than ten thousand times as much of that insensible, unintelligible, real bread you speak of” ( p. 63)

7. But minds are the only causes Sensible bread, therefore, cannot really have any effect on hunger. The true cause of all our ideas, is never an idea, but always a mind (either God or some finite mind)

8. What about these minds? Hylas asks Philonous: can you frame an idea of a mind? Philonous says: No. Hylas: therefore, on your own principles you should deny that there are any minds, just as you deny that there is matter. You should think what we call mind is just a bundle of ideas.

9. Philonous’ response I am aware of my mind, but not in the same way as I am aware of ideas. When I think or will, I am aware of any activity. This activity is what gives me the notion (not idea) of a mind.