The Works of George Berkeley. Vol. 1 of 4: Philosophical Works, 1705-21

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

39746

Title

The Works of George Berkeley. Vol. 1 of 4: Philosophical Works, 1705-21

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

George Berkeley's seminal philosophical works challenge materialism by arguing that reality consists solely of minds and their ideas. This volume presents his revolutionary theories on vision, human knowledge, and motion, demonstrating that the physical world exists only as perceived by a divine mind.

Summary up to 500 words

George Berkeley's collected philosophical works from the early 18th century present a rigorous defense of immaterialism, fundamentally challenging the prevailing notion that matter exists independently of perception. The volume opens with *An Essay Towards A New Theory Of Vision*, where Berkeley dismantles the assumption that sight directly reveals distance or texture. Instead, he argues that vision is a learned language connecting visual ideas to tactile experiences, proving that what we call 'matter' is merely a collection of ideas existing within the mind. The centerpiece of this collection is *A Treatise Concerning The Principles Of Human Knowledge*, structured as dialogues between Hylas and Philonous. Through this Socratic method, Berkeley systematically refutes material substance, asserting the principle that 'to be is to be perceived' (*esse est percipi*). He demonstrates that abstract ideas are impossible; we cannot conceive of matter existing apart from perception. Consequently, he concludes that the universe consists entirely of spirits (minds) and their ideas. The active cause of all motion and change is not an inert material force but the will of God, who continuously perceives and sustains the world. The text also includes *De Motu*, where Berkeley addresses physical principles. He critiques concepts like absolute space and infinite divisibility, arguing that mathematical abstractions often lead to paradoxes disconnected from sensory reality. Redefining causality, he rejects the idea of an occult power inherent in matter. Instead, he proposes that phenomena such as 'force' or 'gravity' are merely regular sequences of events ordained by God's will. The work concludes by affirming that true philosophy leads not to skepticism but to a deeper understanding of God's immediate providence and the perfection of human knowledge within its proper limits. By removing the veil of misleading words, Berkeley seeks to restore clarity to metaphysics and natural philosophy, grounding all reality in the active intelligence of spirits rather than passive matter.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39746.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg39746.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-08-21 18:50 UTC

Categories

• Philosophy