Subjectivism and Objectivism
Subjectivism: Perception as a Personal Experience
Definition
Subjectivism
Subjectivism holds that perception is inherently tied to the individual's mind, shaped by personal experiences, emotions, and interpretations.
Key Features:
- Personal Interpretation: Each person's perception is unique, influenced by their subjective state.
- No Objective Reality: There is no single, objective reality; reality is constructed by the perceiver.
- When two people view a painting, one might see beauty, while the other sees chaos.
- Subjectivism argues that both perceptions are valid, as they reflect individual experiences.
Objectivism: Perception as a Window to Reality
Definition
Objectivism
Objectivism asserts that perception provides access to an independent, objective reality.
Key Features:
- Universal Truths: There are universal truths that exist regardless of individual perception.
- Reliability of Senses: The senses are trustworthy tools for understanding the world.
- A tree exists whether or not someone perceives it.
- Objectivism argues that perception reveals this objective reality.
Tension Between Subjectivism and Objectivism
- Subjectivism emphasizes the role of the mind in shaping reality, while objectivism focuses on the existence of an independent world.
- This tension raises questions about the nature of truth and the reliability of perception.
- When analyzing subjectivism and objectivism, consider how each theory addresses the relationship between perception and reality.
- This can help you evaluate their strengths and limitations.
Idealism, Phenomenalism, and Perspectivism
Idealism: Reality as a Mental Construct
Definition
Idealism
Idealism posits that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual, existing only in the mind.
Key Thinkers:
- George Berkeley: Argued that objects exist only when perceived ("esse est percipi"—to be is to be perceived).
- Immanuel Kant: Suggested that our understanding of reality is shaped by the mind's categories, though he did not fully reject the existence of an external world.
For Berkeley, a tree in a forest exists because it is perceived by a mind, whether human or divine.
