Berkeley on "archetype"

Geneviève Brykman

pp. 103-112

in: Ernest Sosa (ed), Essays on the philosophy of George Berkeley, Berlin, Springer, 1987

Abstract

To see that the title of this paper is polemical, imagine another title: "Berkeley on Archetypes." Since a long tradition has kept the word "archetype" in current use in philosophy, this other title would probably be considered just as acceptable, and long since justified by commentaries on immaterialism. However, Berkeley made a point of showing that some men with a name for learning merely fooled themselves with fine words and scholastic jargon. I shall argue: (I) that "archetypes," contrary to what is often said, play no role in immaterialism; (II) that Berkeley used the term "archetype" only in response to his adversaries; and (III) that he uses this term, in any account of his own view, only when compelled to by objections made to his philosophy.

Cited authors

Berkeley George