A Dictionary of Philosophy, Third Edition
. 1685–1753. Born in Kilkenny, Ireland, he mainly stayed in Ireland, though with visits abroad, including one to America, and he became bishop of Cloyne. He is considered one of the ‘British EMPIRICISTS’, and his philosophy starts from LOCKE’S ‘new way of ideas’, but rejects abstract ideas and the possibility of real existence outside perception. This slogan ‘esse est percipi’ (‘to be is to be perceived’) sums up much of his philosophy, which is commonly known as ‘subjective IDEALISM’, though he himself called it ‘immaterialsm’; cf. PHENOMENALISM. However, among percipients Berkeley included God.
An Essay towards a New Theory of Vision, 1709. A Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, 1710. Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous in Opposition to Sceptics and Atheists, 1713. De Motu, 1721 (on motion). Alciphron, or the Minute Philosopher, 1732 (largely theological, but with philosophical passages). See also SENSATION, SENSE DATA, SUBJECTIVISM.
A.A.Luce and T.E.Jessop (eds), The Works of George Berkeley, 9 vols, Nelson, 1948–57.
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