Q0685
“A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being: as it perceives ideas,…” — George Berkeley (A Treatise Concerning the Principles of…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §27. Theme: mind.
English
A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being: as it perceives ideas, it is called understanding, and as it produces or otherwise operates about ideas, it is called will.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §27 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.
Concepts in this quote
- Mind
- Philosophy of mind asks what consciousness, thought, and mental life are—and how they relate to body and world.
How to cite this quotation
APA: George Berkeley. (n.d.). A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being: as it perceives ideas, it is called understanding, and as it produces or otherwise operates about ideas, it is called will. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0685
MLA: George Berkeley. “A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being:….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0685.
Chicago: George Berkeley. “A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being:….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0685.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “A spirit is one simple, undivided, active being:…”?
The passage is attributed to George Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §27. The archive attributes this English wording to A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, §27 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.