God is a being of transcendent and unlimited perfections: his nature therefore is incomprehensible to finite spirits. George Berkeley More Quotes by George Berkeley More Quotes From George Berkeley If what you mean by the word "matter" be only the unknown support of unknown qualities, it is no matter whether there is such a thing or no, since it no way concerns us; and I do not see the advantage there is in disputing about what we know not what, and we know not why. George Berkeley supportqualitymean All that stock of arguments [the skeptics] produce to depreciate our faculties, and make mankind appear ignorant and low, are drawn principally from this head, to wit, that we are under an invincible blindness as to the true and real nature of things. George Berkeley argumentignorantreal The real essence, the internal qualities, and constitution of even the meanest object, is hid from our view; something there is inevery drop of water, every grain of sand, which it is beyond the power of human understanding to fathom or comprehend. But it is evidentthat we are influenced by false principles to that degree as to mistrust our senses, and think we know nothing of those things which we perfectly comprehend. George Berkeley realviewsthinking Nothing can be plainer, than that the motions, changes, decays, and dissolutions, which we hourly see befall natural bodies (and which is what we mean by the course of nature), cannot possibly affect an active, simple, uncompounded substance: such a being therefore is indissoluble by the force of nature, that is to say, the soul of man is naturally immortal. George Berkeley naturesimplemean All those who write either explicitly or by insinuation against the dignity, freedom, and immortality of the human soul, may so far forth be justly said to unhinge the principles of morality, and destroy the means of making men reasonably virtuous. George Berkeley writingmenmean Westward the course of empire takes its way; The four first acts already past, A fifth shall close the drama with the day: Time's noblest offspring is the last. George Berkeley fourdramapast Certainly he who can digest a second or third fluxion need not, methinks, be squeamish about any point in divinity. George Berkeley learningdiscoveryscience Of all men living [priests] are our greatest enemies. If it were possible, they would extinguish the very light of nature, turn the world into a dungeon, and keep mankind for ever in chains and darkness. George Berkeley lightignorancemen It would much conduce to the public benefit, if, instead of discouraging free-thinking, there was erected in the midst of this free country a dianoetic academy, or seminary for free-thinkers, provided with retired chambers, and galleries, and shady walks and groves, where, after seven years spent in silence and meditation, a man might commence a genuine free-thinker, and from that time forward, have license to think what he pleased, and a badge to distinguish him from counterfeits. George Berkeley mencountrythinking The love of truth, virtue, and the happiness of mankind are specious pretexts, but not the inward principles that set divines at work; else why should they affect to abuse human reason, to disparage natural religion, to traduce the philosophers as they universally do? George Berkeley abuseprinciplestruth I might as well doubt of my own being, as of the being of those things I actually see and feel. George Berkeley existencedoubtmight If we admit a thing so extraordinary as the creation of this world, it should seem that we admit something strange, and odd, and new to human apprehension, beyond any other miracle whatsoever. George Berkeley strangemiracleworld Others indeed may talk, and write, and fight about liberty, and make an outward pretence to it but the free-thinker alone is truly free. George Berkeley libertyfightingwriting Whose fault is it if poor Ireland still continues poor? George Berkeley faultspoorstills Doth the Reality of sensible things consist in being perceived? or, is it something distinct from their being perceived, and that bears no relation to the mind? George Berkeley bearsmindreality If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? George Berkeley
