BERKELEYISM Meaning and
Definition
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Berkeleyism refers to the philosophical system and theories developed by the 18th-century Irish philosopher George Berkeley. Also known as idealism or immaterialism, Berkeleyism asserts that reality is fundamentally made up of ideas and perceptions, and that physical objects do not exist independently of human perception.
According to Berkeley's philosophy, objects only exist as they are being perceived by a mind. He argued that the only things that can be known with certainty are the ideas and sensations that humans experience, and that the external world is simply a construct of these perceptions. Berkeleyism challenges the notion of an external, independent reality that exists outside of human consciousness.
In Berkeley's view, the existence of objects and their qualities are dependent on being perceived by a conscious mind. If no one perceives an object, it does not exist. This is often summarized by the famous dictum, "To be is to be perceived" or, in modern language, "the tree falls in the forest, but no one is there to hear it."
Berkeleyism contrasts with other philosophies that posit a material world independent of our perceptions, such as realism and materialism. It offers a unique perspective that emphasizes the role of human perception and consciousness in constructing reality.
Etymology of BERKELEYISM
The word Berkeleyism is derived from the name of the philosopher George Berkeley. George Berkeley (1685-1753) was an Irish philosopher whose philosophical system was known as Berkeleyan or Berkeleyism.
The term Berkeleyism was first coined by British philosopher Samuel Johnson (not to be confused with the author Samuel Johnson) in the late 18th century. The word was created by adding the suffix -ism to Berkeley's name, which is a common way of forming words to describe a system or philosophy associated with a particular thinker.
Berkeleyism refers to Berkeley's philosophical views, particularly his idealism and immaterialism. Berkeley argued that physical objects do not exist independently of perception, and that all we can truly know are ideas and perceptions in our minds. He famously summarized his philosophical position with the phrase, esse est percipi or to be is to be perceived.
