Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle
Berkeley’s likeness principle states that only an idea can be like an idea. In this paper, I argue that the principle should be read as a premise only in a metaphysical argument showing that matter cannot instantiate anything like the sensory properties we perceive. It goes against those interpretat...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Aperio
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Modern Philosophy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jmphil.org/article/id/1998/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832575967882641408 |
|---|---|
| author | David Bartha |
| author_facet | David Bartha |
| author_sort | David Bartha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Berkeley’s likeness principle states that only an idea can be like an idea. In this paper, I argue that the principle should be read as a premise only in a metaphysical argument showing that matter cannot instantiate anything like the sensory properties we perceive. It goes against those interpretations that take it to serve also, if not primarily, an epistemological purpose, featuring in Berkeley’s alleged Representation Argument to the effect that we cannot reach beyond the veil of our ideas. First, in section 1, I raise some concerns about the traditional narrative concerning the likeness principle’s role in Berkeley’s argumentation. In section 2, I delineate an alternative narrative, arguing that there is no ‘missing premise’ in his alleged Representation Argument we need to explain simply because he advances no argument like that in the first place. In section 3–4, I provide a close reading of the relevant passages—first from the Principles, then the Dialogues—and their contexts, supporting textually a purely metaphysical interpretation of the likeness principle arguments. In section 5, I address some possible objections, based on the phrasing of the likeness principle passages and some related texts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be0e9901f0164d4cba58b379715672f5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2644-0652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Aperio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Modern Philosophy |
| spelling | doaj-art-be0e9901f0164d4cba58b379715672f52025-01-31T16:08:32ZengAperioJournal of Modern Philosophy2644-06522022-01-014010.25894/jmp.1998Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness PrincipleDavid Bartha0Central European UniversityBerkeley’s likeness principle states that only an idea can be like an idea. In this paper, I argue that the principle should be read as a premise only in a metaphysical argument showing that matter cannot instantiate anything like the sensory properties we perceive. It goes against those interpretations that take it to serve also, if not primarily, an epistemological purpose, featuring in Berkeley’s alleged Representation Argument to the effect that we cannot reach beyond the veil of our ideas. First, in section 1, I raise some concerns about the traditional narrative concerning the likeness principle’s role in Berkeley’s argumentation. In section 2, I delineate an alternative narrative, arguing that there is no ‘missing premise’ in his alleged Representation Argument we need to explain simply because he advances no argument like that in the first place. In section 3–4, I provide a close reading of the relevant passages—first from the Principles, then the Dialogues—and their contexts, supporting textually a purely metaphysical interpretation of the likeness principle arguments. In section 5, I address some possible objections, based on the phrasing of the likeness principle passages and some related texts.https://jmphil.org/article/id/1998/Berkeleyresemblancerepresentationlikeness principlescepticism |
| spellingShingle | David Bartha Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle Journal of Modern Philosophy Berkeley resemblance representation likeness principle scepticism |
| title | Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle |
| title_full | Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle |
| title_fullStr | Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle |
| title_short | Resemblance, Representation and Scepticism: The Metaphysical Role of Berkeley’s Likeness Principle |
| title_sort | resemblance representation and scepticism the metaphysical role of berkeley s likeness principle |
| topic | Berkeley resemblance representation likeness principle scepticism |
| url | https://jmphil.org/article/id/1998/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidbartha resemblancerepresentationandscepticismthemetaphysicalroleofberkeleyslikenessprinciple |