I refute it thus

Yesterday I was bothering the wife with some philosoapy (no, not a spelling error this. I can't say the word with a straight face) about existence, perception, spinoza's god and the like. Dear Mr Berkeley was at our side urging us to consider the irrefutable dictum of his that "to be is to perceive" and that ultimate existence is in the mind. In short, Berkeley said that If no one is looking at a tree, the tree does not exist. The tree, the rock, the moon and all else certainly exist even when we don't see it. How so? Berkeley's Philosoapy has the most astonishing answer I've ever heard. It says everything exists even when we don't see 'em because He, the God dude, sees all things all the time. God makes existence be by perceiving it.

In service of hilarity I'll sacrifice further nuances of Berkeley and present to you the famous limerick. (Oh, come on. What's a philosoapy worth if we can't have a laugh.)

There was a young man who said "God
Must think it exceedingly odd

If he finds that this tree
Continues to be

When there's no one about in the Quad."

"Dear Sir, your astonishment's odd;
I am always about in the Quad

And that's why this tree
Will continue to be

Since observed by Yours faithfully, God."
-Ronald Knox

The title of the post comes from that quip of Samuel Johnson - who when confronted with Berkeley's supposition that a mind is all that truly exists - supposedly gave a hard kick to a stone and said "I refute it thus".