An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits.

Burthogge (Richard)

An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits.

Description: FIRST EDITION, with one diagram in the text, some page numerals (at top) cropped, minor browning at the end pp. [vviii, lincluding initial blank], 280, 8vo, modern calf backed boards, armorial bookplate of Edward Hoare preserved from old binding

Publication Details: Printed for John Dunton, 1694

Notes: Burthogge 'dedicated two philosophical works to Locke, evidently seen as a prestigious ally. An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits begins with an effective restatement of his idealism, emphasizing the role of categorial concepts and making some use of Lockean argument. There are interesting suggestions as to the nature of consciousness, leading into a somewhat Spinozistic, "harmoniously" speculative panpsychism, which was further defended in 1699. In the last years of both their lives Burthogge corresponded with Locke, whose commentary on St Paul adopts the interpretation of Romans 8...moreBurthogge 'dedicated two philosophical works to Locke, evidently seen as a prestigious ally. An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits begins with an effective restatement of his idealism, emphasizing the role of categorial concepts and making some use of Lockean argument. There are interesting suggestions as to the nature of consciousness, leading into a somewhat Spinozistic, "harmoniously" speculative panpsychism, which was further defended in 1699. In the last years of both their lives Burthogge corresponded with Locke, whose commentary on St Paul adopts the interpretation of Romans 8: 28-30 (a major source of the doctrine of the elect) argued for in Burthogge's last work, published in 1702... Burthogge has received some recognition by historians of philosophy, both in the past, as by Sir William Hamilton and Ernst Cassirer, and in recent work. But it has been summary and in passing, generally with emphasis on his 'anticipation' of Kant or, less commonly, of Locke. His thought deserves fuller consideration, however, both as an illustration of what modern idealism owed to error theory and toleration theory, and for his revealing, strangely compelling arguments themselves - in their simplicity, at least, in sharp contrast to Kant's' (Michael Ayers in ODNB).Jean Yolton, in the Introduction to her Bibliography of Locke remarks that a chapter on books dedicated to Locke (as in Fulton's Boyle) 'would be very short', and points out that Burthogge's Of the Soul of the World, though addressed to Locke is not in fact dedicated to him. HIDE

Bibliography: (ESTC R1885)