Philosophies of Berkeley & Hume

1. Berkeley denies abstract general ideas but says that he does not deny general
ideas absolutely. He finds that an idea becomes general when it is made to stand for
all other particular ideas of the same sort. Universality therefore does not consist in
the absolute an positive conception of the nature of anything; rather, it is found in
the relation it bears to the particulars signified or represented by that thing. The
individual can attend to this or that aspect of a thing. If this is what is meant by
abstraction, then abstraction is clearly possible.

Abstractions are developed as the mind observes that in the particular extensions
observed by the senses, there is something common and alike in different instances,
just as there are some other things peculiar to each instance. the mind singles out
that element which is common and makes of this an abstract idea of the quality or
element. As the mind frames to itself these abstract ideas of qualities, it also attains
abstract ideas of the more compounded things, including several coexistent
qualities. By observing a number of human beings, the mind may abstract out that
which can be found in all.

When Berkeley looked into his mind for abstract general ideas, he could only find
images which he identified with the idea. Even the composite image is still a
particular image, and Berkeley thus denies the existence of abstract general ideas.
Berkeley wanted to refute Locke's theory of abstract ideas. He says, for ins

" To state that the doctrine of substance is the main pillar of both skepticism and
atheism is to point to the need for God as the container of the idea, the idea that
springs from perception made by God. All that the individual can understand or see
is what he or she perceives, and the act of perception gives existence to the objects
of the world. The act of God's perception gives them what we take for corporeal
substances but which is really only the idea that God places within as an order to our
perceptions. Berkeley offered a criticism of material substance as a way of paving
the way for an acceptance of theism in general and Christianity in particular. He
states that what is worthy of study is the a consideration of God, and promoting the
idea of God has been the primary purpose of his studies. 5. Hume follows Locke by
determining that all the contents of the mind, all ideas, derive from human
experience and thus represent impressions. Hume uses different terminology that
Locke, however. He says that perceptions is a term covering all of the contents of
the mind in general. He divides perceptions into ideas and impressions. Impressions
are described by Hume as the immediate data of experience, such as sensati

Category: Philosophy - P