Abstract
Although major works on Berkeley have considered his Philosophy of Science, and important monographs have dealt with particular aspects of his scientific work, there appears to be no systematic work, there appears to be no systematic and critical account of his work considered as a whole.2 By “scientific work” we understand Berkey’s major writings in optics, physics, and a metaphysical work that deal with methodological and substantive matters in science3. By a “critical account” we understand one that does more than assess Berkey’s historical place concerning problems in the Philosophy of Science, but seeks as well to assess the consistency and adequacy of his views considered in themselves.
Philonous: You see, Hylas, the water of yonder fountain, how it is forced upwards, in a round column, to a certain height, at which it breaks and falls back into the basin from whence it rose, its ascent as well as descent proceeding from the same uniform law or principle of gravitation. Just so, the same principles which at first view, lead to skepticism, pursued to a certain point, bring men back to common sense.1
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References
W.A. Suchting, “Berkeley’s Critism of Newton on Space and Motion,”Isis, Vol. 58, Summer 1967, 186–197.
G. W. R. Ardley, “Berkeley’s Philosophy of Nature,” Bulletin No. 63, Series No. 3, University of Auckland, 1962.
Karl Popper, “A Note on Berkeley as Precursor of Mach and Einstein,” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 4, 1953; Reprinted, C. B. Martin and D. M. Armstrong ed; Locke and Berkeley, A Collection of Critical Essays, (New York Doubleday and Co., Inc. (Anchor Books)), 1968, 436–449.
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© 1973 Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands
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Brook, R.J. (1973). Introduction. In: Berkeley’s Philosophy of Science. International Archives of the History of Ideas / Archives Internationales D’Histoire Des Idees, vol 65. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1994-1_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1994-1_1
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