The Works of George Berkeley. Vol. 1 of 4: Philosophical Works, 1705-21Berkeley, George
Philosophy
The Works of George Berkeley. Vol. 1 of 4: Philosophical Works, 1705-21
Berkeley, George
Philosophy -- Early works to 1800
_We_ do not, properly speaking, in a strict philosophical sense, make
objects more or less pleasant; but the laws of nature do that.
(M372) A finite intelligence might have foreseen 4 thousand years agoe the
place and circumstances, even the most minute & trivial, of my present
existence. This true on supposition that uneasiness determines the will.
(M373) Doctrines of liberty, prescience, &c. explained by billiard balls.
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Wt judgement would he make of uppermost and lowermost who had always seen
through an inverting glass?
All lines subtending the same optic angle congruent (as is evident by an
easy experiment); therefore they are equal.
We have not pure simple ideas of blue, red, or any other colour (except
perhaps black) because all bodies reflect heterogeneal light.
Qu. Whether this be true as to sounds (& other sensations), there being,
perhaps, rays of air wch will onely exhibit one particular sound, as rays
of light one particular colour.
Colours not definable, not because they are pure unmixt thoughts, but
because we cannot easily distinguish & separate the thoughts they include,
or because we want names for their component ideas.
(M374) By Soul is meant onely a complex idea, made up of existence,
willing, & perception in a large sense. Therefore it is known and it may
be defined.
We cannot possibly conceive any active power but the Will.
(M375) In moral matters men think (’tis true) that they are free; but this
freedom is only the freedom of doing as they please; wch freedom is
consecutive to the Will, respecting only the operative faculties(220).
Men impute their actions to themselves because they will’d them, and that
not out of ignorance, but whereas they have the consequences of them,
whether good or bad.
This does not prove men to be indifferent in respect of desiring.
If anything is meant by the _potentia_ of A. B. it must be desire; but I
appeal to any man if his desire be indifferent, or (to speak more to the
purpose) whether he himself be indifferent in respect of wt he desires
till after he has desired it; for as for desire itself, or the faculty of
desiring, that is indifferent, as all other faculties are.
Actions leading to heaven are in my power if I will them: therefore I will
will them.
Qu. concerning the procession of Wills _in infinitum_.
Herein mathematiques have the advantage over metaphysiques and morality.
Their definitions, being of words not yet known to ye learner, are not
disputed; but words in metaphysiques & morality, being mostly known to
all, the definitions of them may chance to be contraverted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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