The Routledge Guidebook to Berkeley’s Three Dialogues is an engaging introduction to the last of a trio of works that cemented Berkeley’s position as one of the truly great philosophers of the western canon. Berkeley’s distinctive idealist philosophy has been a challenge and inspiration for thinkers ever since.
Written for readers approaching this seminal work for the first time, this book:
- provides the philosophical context in which Three Dialogues was written;
- critically discusses the arguments in each of the Three Dialogues; and
- examines some of the principal disputes concerning the interpretation of his work.
The Routledge Guidebook to Berkeley’s Three Dialogues offers a clear and comprehensive guide to this ground-breaking volume and includes further reading sections at the end of each chapter. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand this influential work.
1. The Context of Berkeley’s Three Dialogues. 2. The sceptical challenge. 3. The nature of the sensible I. 4. The Nature of the sensible II. 5. The existence and activity of God. 6. The rejection of theistic materialism. 7. A world in flux? 8. Mind and morality. Bibliography. Index.
Biography
Stefan Storrie has published extensively on early modern philosophy, and Berkeley in particular. He is the editor of Berkeley’s Three Dialogues: New Essays (2018) and, with Ezio Di Nucci, 1984 and Philosophy (2018).
"A clear, informative and insightful guide to Berkeley’s most accessible philosophical work – ideal for beginners and advanced students. In his Problems of Philosophy, 1912, Bertrand Russell mentions seven great philosophers, from Plato to Kant, and the texts by them that he recommends for students – one is Berkeley’s Three Dialogues."
David Berman, Trinity College, Ireland
"Storrie's book is clearly written, rich in historical and philosophical context, rooted in Berkeley's writings and structured to give a student reader confidence. In a crowded field of introductory works on Berkeley it stands out by taking into account the recent and rapid developments in Berkeley scholarship, evaluating scholarly disputes judiciously and giving a consistent interpretation without being partisan. I would recommend it to anyone teaching early modern philosophy as the 'if you are only going to read one book about Berkeley, make it this one' text."
Tom Stoneham, University of York, UK
