Topic #1 – The Inconceivability Argument Berkeley’s main objective in the inconceivability argument is to show that material substances cannot exist without the mind and are therefore mind-dependent. If an object is considered to be mind-dependent, then the object does not actually exist in the world but instead it exists in the mind as an idea. Berkeley is an anti-materialist, which means that he believes the only things that exist are minds and what is in them. Matter is not an exception to this belief, so Berkeley believes that it is just an idea. In his work Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous Berkeley is arguing against materialism, which views material substance to exist independently outside of the mind. Many philosophers, such as Descartes, believed materialism to be the most common-sensical view; however, Berkeley disagreed. So in his work he presents his idea of idealism, which follows that only minds and what’s in them exist. Berkeley seems to be very confident in this argument, seeing as he expresses though the dialogue of Philonous that he is “content to put the whole upon this issue” (Berkeley 35) the issue being the question of if you can conceive something that is completely independent of the mind, or in other words unconceived. Berkeley presents his argument as follows: 1. One cannot see a thing that is at the same time unseen; it is a contradiction. 2. One cannot conceive any thing that is at the same time unconceived; it is also a contradiction. (from 1) 3. You therefore conceive any thing that you think of. (from 2) 4. What is conceived is in the mind. 5. If something exists in the mind then it cannot exist independent of all minds. 6. Therefore, anything you conceive is not mind-independent.
Earlier in the dialogues, Berkeley goes into a bit of detail about the things that we perceive and how we gain