A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge

“We should believe that God has dealt more bountifully with the sons of men than to give them a strong desire for that knowledge which he had placed quite out of their reach.”

Berkeley affirms his view that human beings are naturally oriented toward seeking the truth and are able to discover it through the use of reason. This orientation is rooted in the nature of God, who embodies truth and desires to reveal it to His creatures. Here, Berkeley implies a contrast with skepticism, which posits that we cannot know ultimate truth because of the limitations of our senses and intellect.

“My purpose therefore is to try if I can discover what those principles are which have introduced all that doubtfulness and uncertainty, those absurdities and contradictions, into the several sects of philosophy […]”

Berkeley plans to uncover the roots of skepticism, or a tendency in philosophy to inculcate doubt about our ability to attain knowledge. Berkeley argues that skepticism is fundamentally built on absurdity and contradiction, and thus can be exposed in a methodical way as a flawed way of thinking.

“Of late many have been very sensible of the absurd opinions and insignificant disputes which grow out of the abuse of words.”

Berkeley believes that skepticism is rooted in deceptions caused by the misuse of language. People are misled by using words in a vague or imprecise way or without understanding their meaning. “Insignificant disputes” implies that verbal misunderstanding causes needless arguments about minor philosophical points. Exposing the misuse of words and language is one of the major themes of the book.