Berkeley: An Introduction - Hardcover

Dancy, Jonathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0631145257 ISBN 13: 9780631145257

Publisher: Wiley–Blackwell, 1987

Synopsis

An introduction to the main ideas of George Berkeley's "Principles" and "Three Dialogues", this study offers a new interpretation of some of the main themes in these works. There is a discussion of Berkeley's attack on the distinction between primary and secondary properties, his arguments for the existence of God, his views on perception and of his theory of the mind and the nature of human action.

About this title

Review

"To write accurately about the history of philosophy, to write illuminatingly about philosophical issues and to write clearly and simply about anything are all three difficult tasks. In this book Jonathan Dancy combines all three with remarkable success. Here is something for all interested people, whether beginners or professioinals." J.O. Urmson

From the Back Cover

This new introduction to the main themes of Berkeley′s philosophy assumes no previous knowlege of philosophy and will be accessible to first–year students and to the interested general reader. It also offers and defends its own interpretation of Berkeley′ position.

Jonathan Dancy argues that we understand Berkeley′s idealism best if we take seriously his claim that realism (the view that material things have an existence independent of the mind) derives from a mistaken use of abstraction. Stress is laid on Berkelye′s determination to use idealism to bring his God as close to us as possible. Instances of this are his claims that the world we live in is a collection of ideas in God′s mind, and that natural events are divine utterances which science is the attempts to interpret. Dancy also discusses Berkelye′s attack on the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, and his views on perception and knowledge. There is an account of his theory of the mind and of the nature of human action, and a final chapter contrasts the interpretation offered here with others.

Students who have read this book will be well equipped to understand and assess the frequent references to Berkeley in current literature.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley–Blackwell
• Publication date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0631145257
• ISBN 13: 9780631145257
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224