Latin phrase meaning "to be is to be perceived." According to Berkeley, this is the most basic feature of all sensible objects; for spirits, on the other hand, esse est percipere ("to be is to perceive"). Granting this to be the most fundamental principle of idealistic philosophy, Moore argued that it is indefensible. Recommended Reading: George Berkeley, Principles of Human Knowledge / Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous, ed. by Roger Woolhouse (Penguin, 1988) and Kenneth P. Winkler, Berkeley: An Interpretation (Clarendon, 1994).
[A Dictionary of Philosophical Terms and Names]
Try this search on OneLook / Google