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[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Idealismsculpture_2.jpg|right|frame|<center>fr. Warsaw, Poland</center>]]

''Idealism'' is any system or theory that maintains that the "real" is of the nature of thought or that the object of external perception consists of ideas. It can also be  the tendency to represent things in an ideal form, or as they might or should be rather than as they are, with emphasis on values.

'''Idealism''' is any system or theory that maintains that the "real" is of the nature of thought or that the object of external perception consists of ideas. It can also be  the tendency to represent things in an ideal form, or as they might or should be rather than as they are, with emphasis on values.

The approach to idealism by Western [[philosophy]] has been different from that of East. In Western thought ''the ideal'' relates to direct [[knowledge]] of [[qualia|subjective]] mental ideas, or images. It is usually juxtaposed with ''realism'' in which the real is said to have absolute existence prior to and independent of our knowledge. Epistemological idealists (such as [[Kant]]) might insist that the only things which can be directly ''known for certain'' are ideas. In Eastern thought, as reflected in Hindu idealism, the concept of ''idealism'' takes on the meaning of [[higher consciousness]], essentially the living consciousness of an all-pervading ''[[God]]'', as the basis of all [[phenomena]]. A type of Asian idealism is [[Consciousness]]-only.

The approach to idealism by Western [[philosophy]] has been different from that of East. In Western thought ''the ideal'' relates to direct [[knowledge]] of [[qualia|subjective]] mental ideas, or images. It is usually juxtaposed with ''realism'' in which the real is said to have absolute existence prior to and independent of our knowledge. Epistemological idealists (such as [[Kant]]) might insist that the only things which can be directly ''known for certain'' are ideas. In Eastern thought, as reflected in Hindu idealism, the concept of ''idealism'' takes on the meaning of [[higher consciousness]], essentially the living consciousness of an all-pervading ''[[God]]'', as the basis of all [[phenomena]]. A type of Asian idealism is [[Consciousness]]-only.

Idealism is often contrasted with ''[[materialism]]'', both belonging to the class of [[monism]] as opposed to [[dualism]] or pluralist [[ontology|ontologies]]. The contrast between idealism and materialism has to do with the question of the nature of reality.  

Idealism is often contrasted with ''[[materialism]]'', both belonging to the class of [[monism]] as opposed to [[dualism]] or pluralist [[ontology|ontologies]]. The contrast between idealism and materialism has to do with the question of the nature of reality.  

==History==

==History==

'''Idealism''' names a number of philosophical positions with quite different tendencies and implications..

'''Idealism''' names a number of philosophical positions with quite different tendencies and implications..

 

===Idealism in the West===

===Idealism in the West===

====Antiphon====

====Antiphon====

[[Immanuel Kant]] held that the mind shapes the world as we perceive it to take the form of space-and-time. Kant focused on the idea drawn from British [[empiricism]] (and its philosophers such as [[John Locke|Locke]], [[George Berkeley|Berkeley]], and [[David Hume|Hume]]) that all we can know is the mental impressions, or ''[[phenomena]]'', that an outside world, which may or may not exist independently, creates in our minds; our minds can never perceive that outside world directly. Kant emphasized the difference between things as they appear to an observer and things in themselves, "..;that is, things considered without regard to whether and how they may be given to us ... ."''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]'', A 140   

[[Immanuel Kant]] held that the mind shapes the world as we perceive it to take the form of space-and-time. Kant focused on the idea drawn from British [[empiricism]] (and its philosophers such as [[John Locke|Locke]], [[George Berkeley|Berkeley]], and [[David Hume|Hume]]) that all we can know is the mental impressions, or ''[[phenomena]]'', that an outside world, which may or may not exist independently, creates in our minds; our minds can never perceive that outside world directly. Kant emphasized the difference between things as they appear to an observer and things in themselves, "..;that is, things considered without regard to whether and how they may be given to us ... ."''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]'', A 140   

{{Quotation|...&nbsp;if I remove the thinking subject, the whole material world must at once vanish because it is nothing but a phenomenal appearance in the sensibility of ourselves as a subject, and a manner or species of representation.|''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]'' A383}}   

:I remove the thinking subject, the whole material world must at once vanish because it is nothing but a phenomenal appearance in the :sensibility of ourselves as a subject, and a manner or species of representation.''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]'' A383}}   

Kant's postscript to this added that the mind is not a blank slate, tabula rasa, (contra [[John Locke]]), but rather comes equipped with categories for organising our sense impressions. This Kantian sort of idealism opens up a world of abstractions (i.e., the universal categories minds use to understand phenomena) to be explored by reason, but in sharp contrast to Plato's, confirms uncertainties about a (un)knowable world outside our own minds. We cannot approach the ''[[noumenon]]'', the "Thing in Itself" (German: ''Ding an Sich'') outside our own mental world.  (Kant's idealism goes by the counterintuitive name of ''[[transcendental idealism]]''.)

Kant's postscript to this added that the mind is not a blank slate, tabula rasa, (contra [[John Locke]]), but rather comes equipped with categories for organising our sense impressions. This Kantian sort of idealism opens up a world of abstractions (i.e., the universal categories minds use to understand phenomena) to be explored by reason, but in sharp contrast to Plato's, confirms uncertainties about a (un)knowable world outside our own minds. We cannot approach the ''[[noumenon]]'', the "Thing in Itself" (German: ''Ding an Sich'') outside our own mental world.  (Kant's idealism goes by the counterintuitive name of ''[[transcendental idealism]]''.)

Kant distinguished his transcendental or critical idealism from previous varieties:{{Quotation|The dictum of all genuine idealists, from the [[Eleatic]] school to Bishop [[George Berkeley|Berkeley]], is contained in this formula: “All knowledge through the [[senses]] and [[experience]] is nothing but sheer [[illusion]], and only in the ideas of the pure [[understanding]] and [[reason]] is there [[truth]].”  The principle that throughout dominates and determines my idealism is, on the contrary: “All knowledge of things merely from pure understanding or pure reason is nothing but sheer illusion, and only in experience is there truth.”|''[[Prolegomena]]'', 374}}

Kant distinguished his transcendental or critical idealism from previous varieties:  

 

:"The dictum of all genuine idealists, from the [[Eleatic]] school to Bishop [[George Berkeley|Berkeley]], is contained in this formula: “All knowledge through the [[senses]] and [[experience]] is nothing but sheer [[illusion]], and only in the ideas of the pure [[understanding]] and [[reason]] is there [[truth]].”  The principle that throughout dominates and determines my idealism is, on the contrary: “All knowledge of things merely from pure understanding or pure reason is nothing but sheer illusion, and only in experience is there truth.”''[[Prolegomena]]''

====Fichte====

====Fichte====

:True philosophy must at all costs be ''idealistic''; indeed, it must be so merely to be honest. For nothing is more certain than that no one ever came :out of himself in order to identify himself immediately with things different from him; but everything of which he has certain, sure, and therefore :immediate knowledge, lies within his consciousness. Beyond this consciousness, therefore, there can be no ''immediate'' certainty ... .

:True philosophy must at all costs be ''idealistic''; indeed, it must be so merely to be honest. For nothing is more certain than that no one ever came :out of himself in order to identify himself immediately with things different from him; but everything of which he has certain, sure, and therefore :immediate knowledge, lies within his consciousness. Beyond this consciousness, therefore, there can be no ''immediate'' certainty ... .

:There can never be an existence that is objective absolutely and in itself; such an existence, indeed, is positively inconceivable. For the objective, :as such, always and essentially has its existence in the consciousness of a subject; it is therefore the subject's representation, and consequently is :conditioned by the subject, and moreover by the subject's forms of representation, which belong to the subject and not to the object.|''[[The World :as Will and Representation]]'', Vol. II, Ch. 1}}

:There can never be an existence that is objective absolutely and in itself; such an existence, indeed, is positively inconceivable. For the objective, :as such, always and essentially has its existence in the consciousness of a subject; it is therefore the subject's representation, and consequently is :conditioned by the subject, and moreover by the subject's forms of representation, which belong to the subject and not to the object.|''[[The World :as Will and Representation]]'', Vol. II, Ch. 1

It is evident that Schopenhauer's "idealism" is based primarily on considerations having to do with the relation between our ideas and external reality, rather than being based (like Plato's, Plotinus's, or Hegel's "idealism") on considerations having to do with the nature of reality as such.

It is evident that Schopenhauer's "idealism" is based primarily on considerations having to do with the relation between our ideas and external reality, rather than being based (like Plato's, Plotinus's, or Hegel's "idealism") on considerations having to do with the nature of reality as such.

==See also==

==See also==

*[[Practical idealism]]

*[[Ideal]]

 

==Notes==

==Notes==

==References==

==References==

*''Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason with an historical introduction by Ludwig Noiré'', available at [http://www.books.google.com/]

*''Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason with an historical introduction by Ludwig Noiré'', available at [https://www.books.google.com/]

*Neujahr, Philip J., ''Kant's Idealism'', Mercer University Press, 1995 ISBN 0-86554-476-X

*Neujahr, Philip J., ''Kant's Idealism'', Mercer University Press, 1995 ISBN 0-86554-476-X

*Kierkegaard, Søren. ''Concluding Unscientific Postscript'', Princeton, ISBN 978-0-691-02081-5  

*Kierkegaard, Søren. ''Concluding Unscientific Postscript'', Princeton, ISBN 978-0-691-02081-5  

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://www.acgrayling.com/Witt/Wittgenstein4.html A.C. Grayling-Wittgenstein on Scepticism and Certainty]

*[https://www.acgrayling.com/Witt/Wittgenstein4.html A.C. Grayling-Wittgenstein on Scepticism and Certainty]

*[http://www.spirituality.com/dt/toc_sh.jhtml Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy]: idealism in religious thought

*[https://www.spirituality.com/dt/toc_sh.jhtml Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy]: idealism in religious thought

*[http://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=678 'The Triumph of Idealism'], lecture by Professor [[Keith Ward]] offering a positive view of Idealism, at [[Gresham College]], 13 March 2008 (available in text, audio, and video download)  

*[https://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=678 'The Triumph of Idealism'], lecture by Professor [[Keith Ward]] offering a positive view of Idealism, at [[Gresham College]], 13 March 2008 (available in text, audio, and video download)  

[[Category:Philosophy]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]