Description
George Berkeley was an idealist and an extraordinarily eloquent man of letters. Yet his views are traditionally regarded as wild and extravagant. He is well known for his departure from common sense, yet perversely represents himself as siding with ‘the common folk’, presenting a complex challenge for students.
Berkeley: A Guide for the Perplexed covers the whole range of Berkeley’s philosophical work, offering an accessible review of his views on philosophy and common sense and the nature of philosophical perplexity, together with an examination of his two major philosophical works, The Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to have a sound understanding of Berkeley’s thought, the book provides a cogent and reliable survey of the various concepts and paradoxes of his thought. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers.
Table of Contents
Preface
Part I: Preliminaries
1. The Man and his Philosophy
2. Berkeley's Project
3. The Fundamental Assumptions
Part II: Basic Idealism
4. Idealism in the Dialogues
5. Immaterialism in the Dialogues
6. Spiritualism in the Principles
Part III: Theocentric Idealism
7. Divine Governance
8. Divine Knowledge
9. The Retrenchment
Conclusion
Further Reading
Index
Author(s)
Talia Mae Bettcher,
Talia Mae Bettcher is Associate Professor in Philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles, USA.
Reviews
'An excellent introduction to George Berkeley’s philosophy and Berkeley scholarship…The young scholar will find the book a clear and carefully developed account of Berkeley’s philosophy. The established scholar will discover that Bettcher provides plausible challenges to some of his basic assumptions regarding Berkeley’s philosophy.'
Professor Dan Flage, James Madison University, USA
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“Talia Bettcher has provided an admirably clear and well argued presentation of Berkeley's central doctrines, both basic enough to lead a new-comer to Berkeley by the hand, while providing interpretive suggestions that will interest the seasoned scholar.” - Margaret Atherton, Department of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA
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