Berkeley was born at Dysert Castle, Ireland, on March 12, 1685. He studied at Trinity College Dublin and later took a position as Dean and Lecturer. His Philosophical Commentaries (originally entitled Common-Place Book) was written from time to time during his undergraduate years. In 1710 he published a Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, which presents his theory of idealism.

Berkeley took holy orders, and, in 1713, went to London. The same year he published Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous, a further explanation of idealism. When he returned to England, he became concerned with what he witnessed as a nationwide decline in religion, decay of public spirit, and corrupt ion of manners. The result was his Essay towards preventing the ruin...