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Work #321 · Early

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

George Berkeley
1713 · English
Three philosophical dialogues · British empiricism / immaterialism

The dialogue-form defence of Berkeleyan immaterialism — the more accessible companion to the 1710 Principles

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous (Early)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Relational
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Emergent
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Emergent
Matter · Conservation Non-conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Scripture
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Time as temporal order of ideas in minds.

Space

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Space as emerging from order of perceived ideas.

Matter

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Material reality reduced to ideas in minds.

Observer

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Perceiving mind as basic ontological category; God's infinite mind sustaining reality.

Energy

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Not Berkeley's focus.

Information

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Ideas as basic informational content.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous

Berkeley's immaterialism was contentious and remains so. Hume develops from Berkeleyan foundations while modifying. Kantian transcendental idealism develops as more sophisticated alternative.