Background
Ralph Cudworth was born in 1617 in Aller, Somersetshire, United Kingdom, where his father was rector.
(Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688) deserves recognition as one of...)
Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688) deserves recognition as one of the most important English seventeenth-century philosophers after Hobbes and Locke. In opposition to Hobbes, Cudworth proposes an innatist theory of knowledge that may be contrasted with the empirical position of his younger contemporary Locke, and in moral philosophy he anticipates the ethical rationalists of the eighteenth century. A Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality is his most important work, and this volume makes it available, together with his shorter Treatise of Freewill, in its first modern edition, with a historical introduction, a chronology of his life, and an essay on further reading.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521479185/?tag=2022091-20
(Christian religion, pointing out those deviations from it...)
Christian religion, pointing out those deviations from its divine revelations which have been too frequent among philosophers in all ages. And if any theological student, wishes to obtain a knowledge of all that can be said respecting liberty and necessity, fate and free-will, eternal reason and justice, of the existence of the soul after death in a state of separate consciousness and of the doctrine of a future state of retribution, he has only patiently to digest the Intellectual System of Dr. Cudworth. Few writers, indeed, will bring within his reach such an inexhaustible fund of classical and patristic learning to bear upon the most fundamental article of the Christian faith. Le Clerc expressed a wish that some man of learning would translate the Intellectual System into Latin ;but this design, though resolved upon and attempted by several persons in Germany, was never executed till the year 1733, when the learned Dr. Mosheim published his translation of it, accompanied with such copious and elaborate notes and illustrations, as made it a valuable accession to the sacred literature of Europe. A translation of Dr. Mosheim snotes was commenced and partially announced by Robert Studley Vidal, Esq. in his version of Mosheim sC ommentaries on the Affairs of the Christians, and subsequently in a letter which appeared in the Gentleman sM agazine of November, 1818; but from some cause or other Mr. (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology. Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged t
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LGBJ3M/?tag=2022091-20
Ralph Cudworth was born in 1617 in Aller, Somersetshire, United Kingdom, where his father was rector.
His father, who had also been a fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and chaplain to James I, died in 1624, and Cudworth therefore had his early education from his stepfather, Dr. Stoughton.
He entered Emmanuel College in 1632 and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1635, a master of arts degree in 1639, and a bachelor of divinity degree in 1646.
In a sermon delivered before the House of Commons in March 1647, he opposed the growing intolerance and sectarianism of the Puritans and espoused the cause of religious toleration.
In 1654 he was elected master of Christ's College, Cambridge.
Fragments of the second and third parts of his system remain in manuscript; sections have been published as A Treatise on Eternal and Immutable Morality (1731) and A Treatise on Freewill (1838).
In his work Cudworth set out to destroy atheism, materialism, empiricism, and the identification of moral action with obedience to a superior will, human or divine.
(Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688) deserves recognition as one of...)
(Christian religion, pointing out those deviations from it...)
Against Hobbes's alleged atheism, materialism, determinism, individualism, and ethical relativism, Cudworth defended theism, dualism, free will, organic political theory, and ethical absolutism. Cudworth's metaphysical dualism asserts a distinction between active and passive powers, not the Cartesian distinction between thought and extension.
In 1654 he married and subsequently had two sons, John and Charles, and a daughter, Damaris (later Lady Masham).