Appearance And Reality And The Existence Of Matter By Bertrand Russell

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In the philosophical journal, “Appearance and Reality and the Existence of Matter” by Bertrand Russell begins by pondering upon the question of whether there is any type of knowledge in existence that is so true where there cannot be any doubt to suppose otherwise (pg. 192). To progress his thoughts upon the matter, in chapter one, he distinguishes the fundamental difference between the appearance and reality of knowledge. Appearance being the subjective interpretations of an observation and reality being the idea in its objective or original state; allows for possible differentiating perceptions of the original idea. Russell exemplifies this by applying skepticism and critically analyzing the concept of a table; where in order to remove bias …show more content…

Evidently explaining the concept of sense-data as having an objective state neutral with the object; but clarifies how the appearance of a subjective type of reality is through sensing that data individually (pg. 194). Matter being identified as all physical objects, the example of the table is stated to be matter as well. However, Russell continues to introduce Berkeley as an idealist philosopher who denies that there are things which exists outside of the mind and as one who is dependent on the mind of a god to experience the reality of things (pg. 194). Leibniz believes that the appearance of physical objects can be quantified as the grouping of undeveloped minds or bodies (pg. 195). Within the first chapter, Russell establishes that although both Berkeley and Leibniz acknowledge the existence of the table and apply skepticism to believe that matter is either within the mind of god or a collection of ideas, that due to the possibility of the sense based appearance of matter not cohering with realities qualities, we are left with only more questions that ask of the existence of reality and ways which one may uncover its

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