Active Berkeleyanism: Containing an exposition of an improved methodology for Berkeleyan scholarship via a new unified interpretation of Berkeleyanism, with objections and replies

This dissertation demonstrates an improved methodology for Berkeleyan scholarship. This improved methodology, which I call Active Berkeleyanism, seeks to incorporate Berkeley’s corpus, his biography, and Berkeleyan scholarship in order to open new possibilities of understanding and interpretation of Berkeleyanism. To express and exhibit this improved methodology, this dissertation offers a new unified interpretation of Berkeleyanism which highlights the content, purpose, scope, method, and importance of the 1710 Design for Berkeleyanism. This new unified interpretation is a product of Active Berkeleyanism and must not be confused with Active Berkeleyanism as a methodology. This new unified interpretation argues for a commonality of aims under the 1710 Design: the general aim of bringing Berkeley’s audience to a proper understanding and activity in their relationships with each other, the world, and God; and the final aim of preparing his audience for Anglican salvation. Having completed the exposition of Active Berkeleyanism and the new unified interpretation, this dissertation turns to possible objections against Active Berkeleyanism, the final aim of the 1710 Design, and the non-abandonment of the 1710 Design. This dissertation concludes with a summary of the important points contained herein and suggestions of further research using the methodology of Active Berkeleyanism.