MODERN IDEALISM

METAPHYSICS

• Dualism• Materialism• Neutralism• Idealism – is a position

that the ultimate reality is mental or spiritual in nature

JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)

• Laid foundations of Modern Empiricism• An Essay Concerning Human

Understanding – Difficult matters such as morality and religion

could never be fully understood given our capabilities and limits of understanding

– The most influential book of his time with the exception of the Bible

IDEAS

• Immediate object of perception, thought or understanding.

• Things that can be expressed by words

• “Nihil est in intellectu quod prius non fuerit in sensu” nothing exist in the mind that wasn’t first in the senses.

REPRESENTATIVE REALISM

• We perceive objects indirectly by means of our “representations” or ideas or perceptions of them, some of which are accurate copies or reflection of the real properties of “external” objects (objects outside the mind)

• Primary Qualities – qualities of external objects that actually reside in it. (shape, size and weight)

• Secondary qualities – the object has the power to produce in us ideas such as color, smell, softness, hardness etc.

GEORGE BERKELEY (1685-1753)

• Ireland’s most famous philosopher• Provided Yale University with the finest library

and donated books to Harvard University• “Esse est Percipi” to be is to be perceived• Denied that matters exists outside the mind.• Labeled as crackpot for opposing John

Locke’s philosophy

Berkeley’s Argument

• What we experience are sensations or ideas• Objects, conceived of as things that don’t have

sensations or ideas but do have size and shape cannot exist.

• Sensible things cannot exist independent of perception

DAVID HUME (1711-1776)

• One of the greatest empiricist of his time

• Calm and good natured Self-proclaimed skeptic.

• Believed that knowledge is limited to what we experience namely , sensory impressions

IIMANUEL KANT (1724-1804)• Regarded as one of the most brilliant

intellect of all time• Most difficult philosopher to read• Knowledge begins with experience

and experience is the occasion for the awakening of the knowing mind; but the mind thus awakened is not limited in its knowledge to what it has found in experience.

GEORGE HEGEL (1770-1831)

• Most famous German Philosopher• Science of Logic• Premier exponent of Absolute

Idealism– reality is the expression of infinite or

absolute thought or reason

JOHN STUART MILL (1806-1873)

• Most widely known British Philo…• Table of projected IQ scores for

various historic “geniuses” (how scores are calculated)

• Regarded external objects as permanent possibilities of sensation.

Fundamental Tenets of Idealism

• 1. Idealism Believes in the Universal Mind:• 2. Idealism Regards Man as a Spiritual

Being:• 3. The World of Ideas and Values is more

important than the world of Matter:• 4. Real knowledge is perceived in mind:• 5. Stress on the Principle of Unity of

Diversity:

Fundamental Tenets of Idealism

6. Idealism give Importance to Personality Development:7. Idea is real:8. God is the Source of ultimate Knowledge:9. Values are absolute:

Idealism, Education & Guidance

• Self realization• Preservation of Culture• Development of Moral Sense• Development of creative powers• Simple Living and High Thinking