Subjective idealism



Subjective idealism is a theory in the philosophy of perception. It describes a relationship between human experience of the external world, and that world itself, in which objects are nothing more than collections (or bundles) of sense data in those who perceive them.This theory has much in common with phenomenalism, the view that physical objects, properties, events, etc. (whatever is physical) are reducible to mental objects, properties, events, etc. Thus reality is ultimately made up of only mental objects, properties, events, etc.

History
A famous proponent of subjective idealism was 18th century Irish philosopher George Berkeley. He began the theory of subjective idealism in response to John Locke's materialism. He believed that existence was tied to experience, and that objects existed as perception, but not as matter separate of perception. A quotation from his Principles of Human Knowledge, demonstrates his ideas.

Paul Brunton was the next to work on subjective idealism, changing it to its present form. He stated that an object such as a tree, is percieved by the brain, and is turned into a mental image that is separate of the brain's processes.