Single Idea 6495

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 3. Representation]

Full Idea

It was fear of scepticism based upon representative realism that motivated Berkeley's idealism.

Gist of Idea

Berkeley's idealism resulted from fear of scepticism in representative realism

Source

comment on George Berkeley (The Principles of Human Knowledge [1710]) by Howard Robinson - Perception II.1

Book Reference

Robinson,Howard: 'Perception' [Routledge 2001], p.33


A Reaction

Personally I side with Russell, who accepts representative realism, and also accepts that some degree of scepticism is unavoidable, but without getting excited about it. The key to everything is to be a 'fallibilist' about knowledge.