This paper discovers common ground between John Locke's materialism and George Berkeley's immaterialism.
Written in 2008; 1,653 words; 3 sources; MLA; $ 53.95
Paper Summary:
In this article, the writer shows that the epistemologies of Locke and Berkeley are essentially the same, even though they are opposed on the question of whether there is an independent existence of matter beyond the mind. The writer argues that Locke does not espouse strict materialism, and neither does Berkeley espouse strict immaterialism. The writer maintains that they both conclude that nothing can be known beyond the ideas of the mind, and even if there was a separate existence of matter, the qualities of a material object will have nothing in common with the ideas that they create in the mind. The writer argues that Locke's position is superior to that of Berkeley's because it forms the basis of inquiry.
From the Paper:
"With this provision out of the way, Locke goes on to claim that there are certain ideas which do bear resemblance to the object being observed. The ideas of extension, solidity, shape and motion are indeed said to reside in the object itself. These aspects of matter are intuited, and form what Locke terms primary qualities. This is why we have such clear ideas of a thing's shape, its solidity and its motion. Nobody is seen to argue about these things, and physicists make a study out of them, and we all seem to agree with physics. Locke explains that this is because things really do exist in the object. All other ideas, termed as secondary, are derived from the primary ones, and compounded from them in various ways. In this way color, taste, smell, texture etc are all secondary qualities. These ideas are characterized by their relative nature, so that no two observers are able to agree exactly on a quality like taste or color. At the same time they are not as distinct as are the simple ideas. "
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