Q0187
“Their being is to be perceived.” — George Berkeley (A Treatise Concerning the Principles of…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §3. Theme: being.
English
Their being is to be perceived.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §3 and files it under British Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About George Berkeley
George Berkeley (1685–1753) was an Irish immaterialist philosopher and Anglican bishop of Cloyne. A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues argue that esse est percipi for sensible things.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paul Tillich and Avicenna), being is framed through Africana Philosophy and Religious Existentialism. Some passages define being; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through being, experience.
Concepts in this quote
- Being
- Being appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat being as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Experience
- Experience is the lived encounter with world and self—foundation or limit for knowledge, art, and ethics.
How to cite this quotation
APA: George Berkeley. (n.d.). Their being is to be perceived. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0187
MLA: George Berkeley. “Their being is to be perceived..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0187.
Chicago: George Berkeley. “Their being is to be perceived..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0187.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Their being is to be perceived.”?
The passage is attributed to George Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §3. The archive attributes this English wording to A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §3 and files it under British Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does George Berkeley mean by being?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paul Tillich and Avicenna), being is framed through Africana Philosophy and Religious Existentialism. Some passages define being; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through being, experience.