Materialism vs Idealism

By Leo Gura - August 26, 2025

It is useful to look at explicit definitions of materialism and idealism. This helps clear up many things. So…

Materialism: “Is the claim that consciousness is entirely physical, solely the product of biological brains, and all mental states can be fully reduced to, or wholly explained by, physical states — which, at their deepest levels, are fields and particles of fundamental physics. In short, materialism, in its many forms and flavors, gives a completely physicalist account of phenomenal consciousness.”

Idealism: “Is the claim that consciousness is ultimate reality, the deepest level of all existence, the singular fundamental existent. It is the theory of consciousness that takes consciousness to its maximum meaning. Ultimate reality is mind or awareness or thought, while everything else, including all physical worlds and universes and all that they contain, are derivative and illusory.”

Materialism is false. Idealism is true. But you need to discover this for yourself, don’t just take my word for it.

The real question is not whether idealism is true. The real question is: What are all the ways that idealism plays itself out? What’s needed is a deep investigation into the mechanics of idealism. How does idealism work? That’s the real philosophical work.

Credit: Robert Lawrence Kuhn for articulating the definitions

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