Berkeley: Il filosofo che non credeva nei mobili, ma sì nelle idee

George Berkeley, il filosofo che ha deciso che la realtà è tutta nella testa. Preparati a scoprire perché quel tavolo che stai usando potrebbe non esistere... ma non provare a sedertici sopra!

George Berkeley: The Philosopher Who Looked at the World... and Didn’t See It

Ah, Berkeley. The man who makes you doubt everything, even the couch you’re sitting on. George Berkeley is the kind of philosopher that, if you had met him in a bar, would have questioned the existence of the beer you're drinking. And not because he had had too many, but because he genuinely believed that matter didn’t exist. Yes, you heard that right: to him, everything you see and touch is just an idea in your mind. So that table? Not there. The chairs? Also just an illusion.

But don’t worry, Berkeley wasn’t insane. In fact, he was pretty clear-headed in his reasoning (at least in his own mind). According to him, everything we perceive exists only because we’re thinking about it. And if we stop thinking about it? Poof, it disappears. Take, for instance, that glass of water in front of you: it only exists as long as you perceive it. If you look away, well, it doesn’t exactly vanish into thin air... or does it?

His theory is called "immaterialism," or as I like to call it: "the perfect excuse to never make the bed." Berkeley argued that matter doesn’t really exist, and that everything we know about the world is just a collection of perceptions. If no one is there to perceive it, the physical world has no reason to exist. Basically, it’s like reality needs to be observed to keep working. Kind of like when the Wi-Fi stops working until you call customer service.

If you don’t see it, it’s not there. Or maybe it is?

Why is this immaterialism so important? Imagine living in the 18th century, firmly believing that everything you touch is real. Then along comes Berkeley, telling you that the beautiful wooden cabinet you just bought is only an idea in your head. And you thought you got a great deal!

Berkeley was convinced that it was the mind that gave life to reality. His famous phrase “Esse est percipi” – "to be is to be perceived" – isn’t just his motto, it’s the heart of his philosophy. If no one perceives something, that thing doesn’t exist. So, the question isn’t “if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?”, but rather “does the tree really exist if no one is looking at it?”. Berkeley’s answer? No.

Ideas are better than furniture (even if you can’t sit on them)

Now, it’s not that Berkeley had a problem with furniture. There’s no historical evidence that he hated couches or had a grudge against chairs. His real issue was with matter in general. That annoying tendency of objects to exist even when we’re not looking at them. To him, everything was in the mind. Not your mind, of course. He was talking about the mind of God. Yes, you read that right, the mind of God. Berkeley’s thoughts were pretty simple: everything we perceive is an idea in God’s mind, and we’re just part of His gigantic thought. So, if your desk exists, it’s because God is "thinking" it. Thank the heavens for your furniture!

In fact, Berkeley didn’t stop there. He said that our entire experience of the world is a series of perceptions happening in our heads (and in God’s head, of course). So, if you’re wondering why that dress you wanted hasn’t magically disappeared from the store, it’s because, guess what? God is still "thinking" about it. Yep, maybe this makes you appreciate your last shopping spree a little more.

The funny thing is, all this wasn’t coming from a guy who spent his days staring at clouds or meditating in silence. Berkeley was a man of action! A bishop, no less. And not just any bishop: one who tried to launch a project to establish a religious mission in Bermuda. Why Bermuda? Who knows, maybe God suggested it, but the venture failed. Still, Berkeley didn’t let that get him down, and he kept questioning the world around him. Literally.

So, was Berkeley right?

So, was Berkeley right? Well, it depends. If you’re the type who needs to touch things to believe they’re real, Berkeley would probably drive you crazy. Imagine spending a day with him: “Look at this beautiful sunset.” “Yes, but it only really exists because I’m looking at it!” Yeah, conversations with Berkeley probably ended with a headache. But you can’t deny he had an interesting take on the world.

Today, his philosophy might seem a bit out of fashion, but the idea that perception plays a fundamental role in what we define as real is still up for debate. And, let’s admit it, it’s a perfect excuse not to worry too much about that mess on your desk: if you don’t look at it, maybe it doesn’t exist.