Arthur Collier (12 October 1680September 1732) was an English Anglican priest and philosopher who wrote about the non-existence of an absolute external world.
Early life
Collier was born at the rectory of Steeple Langford, Wiltshire. He entered Pembroke College, Oxford, in July 1697, but in October 1698 he and his brother William became members of Balliol.
His father having died in 1697, it was arranged that the family living of Langford Magna should be given to Arthur as soon as he was old enough.
Career
Having graduated from Oxford and been made a priest, Collier was presented to the benefice of Steeple Langford in 1704, holding it until his death in 1732. His sermons show no traces of his bold theological speculations, and he seems to have been faithful in the discharge of his duty. He was in financial difficulties (some say due to his wife), from which at last he was obliged to free himself by selling the reversion of the Langford advowson to Corpus Christi College, Oxford.