Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous

Summary

Key Facts

Save

Summary Key Facts

Full Title: Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Author: Bishop George Berkeley

Philosophical Movement: Berkeley was an idealist, or immaterialist.

Language: English

Time & Place Written: London, between 1710 and 1713.

Year of Publication: 1713

Speaker: Philonous acts as Berkeley's mouthpiece, while Hylas is supposed to speak on behalf of Berkeley's materialist opponent.

Areas of Philosophy Covered: Three Dialogues is primarily concerned with laying out a radical new metaphysical picture. It also covers the topic of epistemology.

Philosophical Movements Opposed: Berkeley has several opponents in Three Dialogues, each occupying a different level of generality. On the most general level, his opponents are atheists, skeptics, and other freethinkers. On a more specific level, his opponent is anyone who believes in materialism. On the most particular level, the enemy he sets in his sights is John Locke.

Other Works by the Author on Similar Topics: For the original version of Berkeley's idealist theory see Principles of Human Knowledge . For more of his attacks on freethinking scientists turn to De Motu, The Analyst, and A Defense of Free-thinking in Mathematics . Berkeley's correspondence with Samuel Johnson is also illuminating if you want to get a better grasp on the details of Berkeley's idealist picture of the world.

Previous section Full Work Summary