Editing Noumenon (section)

=== Pre-Kantian critique ===
Though the term ''noumenon'' did not come into common usage until Kant, the idea that undergirds it, that matter has an absolute existence which causes it to emanate certain phenomena, had historically been subjected to criticism. [[George Berkeley]], who pre-dated Kant, asserted that matter, independent of an observant mind, is metaphysically impossible.  Qualities associated with matter, such as shape, color, smell, texture, weight, temperature, and sound are all dependent on minds, which allow only for relative perception, not absolute perception.  The complete absence of such minds (and more importantly an [[Omnipotence|omnipotent mind]]) would render those same qualities unobservable and even unimaginable. Berkeley called this philosophy [[immaterialism]]. Essentially there could be no such thing as matter without a mind.<ref>Anon., "Caird's Philosophy of Kant", [[Saturday Review (London newspaper)|''Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art'']], vol 44, Nov 3, 1877, [https://books.google.com/books?id=t_-zm4WJVCQC&pg=PA559&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false pp. 559–560].</ref>{{rp|559–560}}