Q0684
“That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas formed by the imagination,…” — George Berkeley (Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713). Theme: mind.
English
That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas formed by the imagination, exist without the mind, is what everybody will allow.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713) 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
Dualism, materialism, functionalism, and phenomenological descriptions compete. AI renews old questions about understanding and experience. This passage enters that discussion through mind, existence, experience.
Concepts in this quote
- Mind
- Philosophy of mind asks what consciousness, thought, and mental life are—and how they relate to body and world.
- Existence
- Existence appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat existence 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.). That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas formed by the imagination, exist without the mind, is what everybody will allow. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0684
MLA: George Berkeley. “That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0684.
Chicago: George Berkeley. “That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0684.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “That neither our thoughts, nor passions, nor ideas…”?
The passage is attributed to George Berkeley, Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713). The archive attributes this English wording to Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous (1713) 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 mind?
Dualism, materialism, functionalism, and phenomenological descriptions compete. AI renews old questions about understanding and experience. This passage enters that discussion through mind, existence, experience.