Origin The name  appeal to the stone spawned from an argument between Dr. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell over George Berkeley ’ s theory of subjective idealism (known previously as “immaterialism”). Subjective idealism states that reality is dependent on a person’s perceptions of the world and that material objects are intertwined with one’s perceptions of these material objects. Johnson rejected Berkeley’s argument that material things only exist in one’s own interpretation by striking his foot against a large stone and stated, “I refute it thus”. Johnson ’s argument of appeal to the stone was to disprove subjective idealism by showing that by striking his foot against a large stone and observing his footrebounded off of it, would prove the laws of subjective idealism were incorrect .
Origin The name " appeal to the stone " originates from an argument between Dr. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell over George Berkeley ' s theory of subjective idealism (known previously as “immaterialism”). Subjective idealism states that reality is dependent on a person’s perceptions of the world and that material objects are intertwined with one’s perceptions of these material objects. Johnson 's intent, apparently, was to imply that it was absurd of Berkeley to call such a stone "immaterial," when in fact Johnson could kick it with his foot .
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Johnson rejected Berkeley’s argument that material things only exist in one’s own interpretation by striking his foot against a large stone and stated, “I refute it thus”.
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’s argument of appeal to the stone was to disprove subjective idealism by showing that by striking his foot against a large stone and observing his footrebounded off of it, would prove the laws of subjective idealism were incorrect
's intent, apparently, was to imply that it was absurd of Berkeley to call such a stone "immaterial," when in fact Johnson could kick it with his foot