The Viability of Primary and Secondary Qualities Essay

The Viability of Primary and Secondary Qualities - Essay ExampleThe essence of the philosophical debate, hence, centered on Berkeleys refusal to believe that reality consisted of abstractions that could be disjunct from a material object. In order to explore this debate in more depth, this essay will examine Berkeleys critique of Locke regarding the viability of primary and secondhand qualities. As a preliminary matter, for Berkeley, the proffered distinction between primary and petty(a) qualities, an integral theoretical concept underpinning John Lockes notion of Abstract Ideas, was an government issue of fundamental importance. Our knowledge of the world around us, in Berkeleys view, was dependent on the viability of this distinction. Berkeleys ultimate rejection of this distinction, and the theory of Abstract Ideas was bold Locke, after all, was not the first philosopher to believe in the validity of the distinction. Indeed, Berkeley challenged some of the greatest thinkers a s the distinction had also been embraced by such luminaries as Descartes, Newton, and Galileo. A brief first appearance of Lockes approach to primary and secondary qualities is necessary because it highlights the bases of Berkeleys attacks and because Lockes work served as the authoritative statement of the viability of the distinction between primary and secondary qualities.... He also pointed out the epistemological problems which, he asserted, rendered Lockes distinction nothing more than speculation. Locke, in Berkeleys view, was hardly an empiricist. Berkeley could simply not accept Lockes assertion that an rudimentary tone could be separated from the mind. Locke stated, by contrast, that a quality was a power that was capable of producing an topic in our mind. This definition was significant because it separated the quality from our mind more particularly, Locke established a causal relationship in which a quality inherent in an object caused us to have an idea about that object. Berkeley, because he rejected the separation, also rejected the notion of causation. Berkeleys strongest criticisms, however, derived from Lockes attempt to divide a quality into two specific types. This criticism dealt with Lockes attempts to draw a distinction between what he termed primary qualities and secondary qualities. Locke characterised primary qualities as being inseparable from the object being observed. Everything had fundamental properties. These fundamental properties were constant.Locke viewed solids, extensions, figures, motion or rest, and number as primary qualities Berkeley, for the reasons mentioned below, argued and demonstrated that these primary qualities did not exist. The denial of these primary qualities served as the basis for his rejection of the notion of abstraction of ideas. Berkeley stated that these qualities were illusory and therefore could not produce in us ideas about the object being observed. Ideas were ideas and nothing more. Nor did Berkeley accept the premise that a