• Home
  • About The Mod Squad

The Mod Squad

A Group Blog in Modern Philosophy

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Leibnizian Supercomprehension
Latitudinarian vs High-Church Philosophy: Two Contrasts »

Berkeley on Divine and Human Spirits

May 21, 2019 by Kenny Pearce

It is pretty widely accepted, among those scholars who have considered the matter, that Berkeley endorses a univocal account of theological language. That is, Berkeley holds—contrary to traditional philosophical theology—that the word ‘wise’ is applied to God and to Socrates in the same sense, although with an infinite difference of degree. Philosophers who hold such a view are often said to anthropomorphize God (see, e.g., O’Higgins). However, comparing Berkeley’s account with the prior tradition, it would be more accurate to say that Berkeley divinizes the human being than that he anthropomorphizes God.

The strongest indication in this direction is found in two notebook entries in which Berkeley uses the Latin phrase ‘purus actus’ (pure act)—a traditional definition of God—in connection with the human spirit. The entries are as follows:

701 The Substance of Body we know. The Substance of Spirit we do not know it not being knowable. it being purus Actus.

828 The Will is purus actus or rather pure Spirit not imaginable, not sensible, not intelligible. in now wise the object of ye Understanding, no wise perceivable.

In a subsequent entry, 870, Berkeley resolves not to use this language in print: “I must not give the Soul or Mind the Scholastique Name pure act, but rather pure Spirit or active Being.” This, however, does not sound like a change of view, but rather a resolution to avoid Scholastic jargon. The version of this thought that makes it into the published text of the Principles looks like this: “Such is the nature of spirit, or that which acts, that it cannot be of itself perceived, but only by the effects which it produceth” (§27). This too was something said of God in the tradition: we cannot know what God is in Godself, and instead we approach the knowledge of God through the effects of God’s action in the world (see, e.g., book 1, chapters 54 and 58 of Maimonides’ Guide).

We can even go a step further than this. According to the (strong) doctrine of divine simplicity, God’s activity just is God’s essence which just is God’s existence which just is God. This too Berkeley says of created spirits: “Existere is percipi or percipere [or velle i.e. agere]” (notebook entry 429; bracketed text added above a caret). Clearly in Berkeley’s system ideas are those things whose existence consists in being perceived, while spirits are those things whose existence consists in perceiving or willing, i.e., acting. Further, Berkeley seems to reject the notion that spirit has some other unknown essence distinct from its existence/activity.

In a sense, then, Berkeley’s philosophical theology may be somewhat more traditional than I have suggested in previous work (see, e.g., here). Berkeley holds that God is pure act, that God’s essence, existence, and activity are all one, and that God is knowable only through the effects of God’s activity. Berkeley’s radical departure from the tradition lies in his claim that in all of this God is just like you and me.

(Cross-posted at blog.kennypearce.net.)

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged George Berkeley, God, philosophy of mind, religious language |

  • Recent Posts

    • Margaret Cavendish’s Philosophical Letters
    • Latitudinarian vs High-Church Philosophy: Two Contrasts
    • Berkeley on Divine and Human Spirits
    • Leibnizian Supercomprehension
    • Browne and Berkeley on the Influence of Words
  • Contributors

    • beckocopenhaver
    • Chloe Armstrong
    • -
    • Colin Heydt
    • Eugene Marshall
    • LisaShapiro
    • Joshua M. Wood
    • Julia Jorati
    • juliekrwalsh
    • Kenny Pearce
    • Lewis Powell
    • Antonia LoLordo
    • Colin McLear
    • modsquadguest
    • marcy p lascano
    • sethbordner
    • Stewart Duncan
    • Sydney Penner
    • Timothy Yenter
    • Jessica Gordon-Roth
    • Kirsten Walsh
  • Recent Comments

    Stewart Duncan on Margaret Cavendish’s Phi…
    Jonathan Shaheen on Margaret Cavendish’s Phi…
    Sam Rickless on Berkeley’s Manuscript In…
    Locke’s Populi… on Stillingfleet on the “Fu…
    Kenny Pearce on Descartes and the Rise of the…
    Margaret Atherton on Descartes and the Rise of the…
  • Archives

    • April 2021
    • July 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • December 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • June 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • August 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • October 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
  • Blogroll

    • blog.kennypearce.net
    • Early Modern Experimental Philosophy
    • Early Modern Thought Online
    • Feminist History of Philosophy
    • Horseless Telegraph
    • Peter Adamson's Blog
  • Modern Philosophy Resources

    • Early English Books Online
    • Early Modern Philosophy Calendar
    • Early Modern Texts
    • New York City Early Modern Events
    • NYC Early Modern Events
    • PhilEvents.org
    • PhilPapers.org
    • Project Vox
    • Society for Modern Philosophy
  • Categories

    • Authors and critics
    • Ergo discussions
    • Meta
    • Sentimental Sundays
    • Uncategorized
  • Meta

    • Register
    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • The Mod Squad
    • Join 136 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Mod Squad
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: