The heart of the work is the dispute between materialism and idealism, two fundamentally opposed positions that are embodied by Hylas and Philonous, the characters in this philosophical drama. Published alongside the Principles (also edited by Jonathan Dancy), this new edition ofBerkeley's most engaging text provides the student with a thorough introduction to the central ideas of one of the worlds greatest philosophers.This is a new critical edition of Berkeley’s 1734 (third edition, first 1713) Three Dialogues, a text that is deservedly one of the most challenging and beloved classics of modern philosophy. In addition the volume includes ananalysis of the text, a glossary, detailed endnotes, and a full bibliography with guidance on further reading. It is supplemented by a comprehensive introduction which looks in detail at the structure and main arguments of the work and the relationship between the Dialogues and the Principles, and also discusses Berkeley's life, influences, and general philosophy. The text printed in this volume is that of the 1734 edition of the Dialogues, generally agreed to represent Berkeley's mature thought. Berkeley uses this thesis as the ground for a new argument for the existence of God, and the dialogue form enables him to raise and respond to many of the natural objectionsto his position. His striking claim there, as here, was that physicalthings consist of nothing but ideas in minds. The Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713) were designed as a vivid and accessible presentation of the remarkable picture of reality that Berkeley had first presented three years earlier, in his Principles of Human Knowledge.

The series aims tobuild up a definitive corpus of key texts in the Western philosophical tradition, which will form a reliable and enduring resource for students and teachers alike. Endnotes aresupplied which provide further commentary on the arguments and explain unfamiliar references and terminology, and a full bibliography and index are also included. Each volume provides a clear, well laid out text together with a comprehensive introduction by a leading specialist, giving the student detailed critical guidance on the intellectual context of the work and the structure and philosophical importance of the main arguments. The Oxford Philosophical Texts series consists of authoritative teaching editions of canonical texts in the history of philosophy from the ancient world down to modern times.

Dialogues between hylas and philonous