Berkeley's Philosophy of Science

Abstract

<p>This paper is an examination of Berkeley's philosophy of science, and the connections of his views on science with the rest of his metaphysics. Berkeley's ontology is outlined so as to provide a groundwork from which his arguments for his theory of science can be more easily seen. The distinction between real explanation and scientific explanation is drawn and examined. The possibility of having scientific knowledge is examined within the content of Berkeley's epistemology in general, and the consistency of Berkeley's view of science with his analysis of perception is considered. The question of Berkeley's instrumentalism and reductionism is examined in the context of his treatment of mathematical hypotheses (i.e., force, gravity, mass, etc.). Lastly, Berkeley's views on space, time, and motion are considered within the context of his views on science in general.</p>