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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Philosophy 4 by Owen Wister: claims solidity and shape and distance do exist independently of us. If
we all died, they'd he here just the same, though the others wouldn't. A
flower would go on growing, but it would stop smelling. Very well. Now
you tell me how we ascertain solidity. By the touch, don't we? Then, if
there was nobody to touch an object, what then? Seems to me touch is
just as much of a sense as your nose is." (He meant no personality, but
the first boy choked a giggle as the speaker hotly followed up his
thought.)" Seems to me by his reasoning that in a desert island there'd
be nothing it all--smells or shapes--not even an island. Seems to me
that's what you call logic."
The tutor directed his smile at the open window. "Berkeley--" said he.
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