Berkeley maintained that his view was faithful to common sense.

• This little dialogue occurred in my house on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 10. 1999. It illustrates one of two answers Berkeley gave to the objection that his view entailed that things don't exist when people are not perceiving them. (The daughter was 8.)

Mother:       Do you know where your lunch box is?

Daughter:    Yes.

Mother:       Where?

Daughter:    It's in the Lost and Found--I think.

• Here's how it ended.

Mother:       What you mean you think it's in the Lost and Found?

Daughter:    I mean that I think that if I were to go to the Office, I would see it on the Lost and Found shelf.

• Update (October 2011): The daughter is now a college senior majoring in Economics.