Feature image of George Berkeley with tears and ethereal connections symbolizing his philosophy of phenomenalism, divine perception, and the rejection of materialism.

George Berkeley: Phenomenalism, God, and Our Senses

by History of Western philosophyPhilosophyThinkers

⚫Berkeley’s phenomenonlism posits that material objects exist only as perceptions in minds, rejecting their independent material existence.
God is the ultimate perceiver, ensuring that objects continue to exist even when humans are not able to perceive them.
⚫Perception is the immediate awareness of ideas within the mind, shaped by divine orchestration.
⚫Berkeley’s philosophy emphasises the interdependence of perception and reality, challenging materialist views of independent material substances.
⚫The coherence of perceived reality is maintained through God’s constant perception, underpinning Berkeley’s metaphysical and theological assertions.

A visual pencil sketch of Plato with a pensive expression of his face. and Aristotle his student.

Aristotle Vs Plato: A Critique of Their Philosophies

by PhilosophyThinkersWestern Philosophy

⚫Plato’s Theory of Forms suggests a perfect, abstract realm, criticised for its detachment from observable reality.
⚫Aristotle grounds knowledge in empirical observation, critiquing Plato’s abstract idealism.
⚫Plato idealises a rigid class-based society in ‘The Republic’, which some view as impractical and authoritarian.
⚫Aristotle’s focus on practical ethics and politics contrasts with Plato’s emphasis on abstract, ideal forms of governance.
⚫Aristotle’s methodologies in science, emphasising observation and categorization, laid groundwork for modern empirical research, challenging Plato’s metaphysical focus.

iconic symbols for philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Descartes, and Nietzsche.

Who are the greatest philosophers of all time?

by BooksFeaturedPhilosophy

⚫The list of greatest philosophers often includes ancient thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who shaped Western philosophy.
⚫Eastern philosophy is greatly influenced by figures like Confucius and Laozi, who emphasized moral values and natural harmony, respectively.
⚫Christian philosophy was profoundly shaped by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, who explored themes of faith and reason.
⚫Modern philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jean-Paul Sartre have significantly influenced metaphysics, ethics, and existentialist thought.
⚫Political philosophers like Karl Marx and John Locke have had a profound impact on socio-economic structures, while other thinkers like Simone de Beauvoir and Leibniz have made contributions to feminism and metaphysics.