Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713)

This book is one of the most challenging and beloved classics of modern philosophy. The heart of the work is the dispute between materialism and idealism, two fundamentally opposed metaphysical doctrines that are embodied by Hylas and Philonous, the characters in this philosophical drama. The book is packed with brilliant arguments and counter-arguments of an extraordinarily sophisticated nature. In Berkeley’s hands, and with his literary gifts, the interlocutors are both vivid and funny.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Introduction George Berkeley: A Brief Chronology A Note on the Text Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous Berkeley’s Original Preface The First Dialogue The Second Dialogue The Third Dialogue Appendix A: Targets of Berkeley’s Immaterialism From John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) Appendix B: Berkeley’s Philosophy in His Own Words Correspondence between Berkeley and Samuel Johnson (1729–30) Appendix C: Berkeley’s Eighteenth-Century Legacy: (Mis-)Interpretations and Philosophical Convergences From James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. (1791) From Arthur Collier, Clavis Universalis (1713) From Andrew Baxter, An Enquiry into the Nature of the Human Soul (1737) From Philip Doddridge, A Course of Lectures (1776) Bibliography and Selected Recommended Readings Index

About the Author :
The late Dale Jacquette was Senior Professorial Chair in Philosophy, Division for Logic and Theoretical Philosophy, at the University of Bern.

Review :
“Among the most welcome and distinctive features of this new edition are the editor’s substantial and informative introduction, and also a helpful set of appendices, including passages from Locke that define Berkeley’s main target, a substantial correspondence with Samuel Johnson, and a set of interpretations and convergences in other eighteenth-century writings. Highly recommended for use in upper-level courses.” — Ernest Sosa, Board of Governors Professor, Rutgers University “A very welcome addition to Berkeley studies is Dale Jacquette’s new edition of Berkeley’s Three Dialogues. Professor Jacquette’s introduction and annotations are extremely helpful, as is his inclusion of Berkeley’s letters to his American correspondent Samuel Johnson. … This book would be quite useful for general courses in Early Modern Philosophy, more advanced courses in Empiricism, and certainly for one devoted just to Berkeley.” — Richard Brook, Professor Emeritus, Bloomsburg University