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1 - Learned and Ingenious Men

from Part I - The Origins of Cambridge Platonism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2024

Samuel M. Kaldas
Affiliation:
The University of Sydney and The University of Notre Dame Australia
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Summary

This chapter provides a basic introduction to Cambridge Platonism and its four central figures: Benjamin Whichcote (1609–83), Ralph Cudworth (1617–88), John Smith (c. 1618–52) and Henry More (c. 1614–87). Beginning with brief biographies of the Cambridge Platonists and an outline of the Civil War background to their intellectual development, the chapter then moves to a consideration of the contested nature of Cambridge Platonism in contemporary scholarship. Were Whichcote, More, Cudworth and Smith aligned enough biographically and intellectually to warrant grouping them together as architects of a shared philosophical school of thought? After reviewing several recent arguments to the contrary, the main argument of the book is laid out: Anthony Tuckney’s 1651 correspondence with Whichcote contains important evidence that Whichcote, Cudworth, Smith and More were known to their Cambridge contemporaries as proponents of a distinctive set of philosophical positions clearly inspired by Platonism.

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The Cambridge Platonists and Early Modern Philosophy
Inventing the Philosophy of Religion
, pp. 9 - 29
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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  • Learned and Ingenious Men
  • Samuel M. Kaldas, The University of Sydney and The University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Book: The Cambridge Platonists and Early Modern Philosophy
  • Online publication: 09 May 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009426930.003
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Learned and Ingenious Men
  • Samuel M. Kaldas, The University of Sydney and The University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Book: The Cambridge Platonists and Early Modern Philosophy
  • Online publication: 09 May 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009426930.003
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Learned and Ingenious Men
  • Samuel M. Kaldas, The University of Sydney and The University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Book: The Cambridge Platonists and Early Modern Philosophy
  • Online publication: 09 May 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009426930.003
Available formats
×