ABSTRACT
Philosophy is supposed to be the pursuit of wisdom and truth. So we’d expect philosophers to have more knowledge, certainty and intellectual contentment than ordinary people. But Berkeley has discovered quite the opposite: Most philosophers have become entangled in scepticism, whereas most ordinary people aren’t troubled by scepticism at all. They’re content to rely on common sense. Sceptical doubts only creep in when philosophers start asking questions. But philosophy doesn’t go on to answer the questions it raises in any satisfying way. Instead, the more philosophy is pursued, the more deeply entwined in scepticism we become.
