(Originally written September 18, 2005 in Book 2)
The Problems of Philosophy
Bertrand Russell
1912
Chapter Four - Idealism
Whatever can be known to exist must in some sense be mental.
Bishop Berkeley contends that nothing exists that is not of mind. All things perceived are originated in the mind or else they would not exist. Things exist continually because they exist in God's mind. That is why a tree will still exist after we stop perceiving it through one of our senses.
Knowledge is based on the mind being to be in relationship with something outside the mind.
The knowledge of truths is the sort of knowledge that prevents error. It is tied into our beliefs, convictions and judgments.
The second meaning of the word 'know' is a knowledge of things, which is called acquaintance.
It is truth to say: "If I am acquainted with a thing that exists, may acquaintance gives me the knowledge that a thing exists". It is not however true to say that, "If I am not acquainted with a thing that exists, my lack of acquaintance gives me the knowledge that the thing does not exist".
When there is no acquaintance with a thing it is known by description. Description is the knowledge of a thing by an inference.
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