Cambridge Platonists facts for kids
The Cambridge Platonists were a group of important thinkers, including Ralph Cudworth and Henry More. They were philosophers and religious scholars at the University of Cambridge in the 1600s. They believed in ideas from Platonism, an ancient way of thinking.
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Who Were the Cambridge Platonists?
The name "Cambridge Platonists" was given to this group much later, in the 1800s. It can be a bit confusing because they weren't always a super organized group. They were more like friends and teachers who shared similar ideas.
Some historians, like Dmitri Levitin, say they weren't a single "group" with the exact same ideas. But others, like David Leech, point out that people in Europe and England were already talking about a group of "Platonists" from Cambridge way back in the 1700s. The main people usually mentioned were Ralph Cudworth, Henry More, and Benjamin Whichcote.
What Did They Believe?
The Cambridge Platonists believed that reason and religion could work together. They thought that reason was like a "candle of the Lord" inside every person. This meant that humans have a special connection to God through their ability to think and understand.
They felt that reason could help people understand religious ideas and solve disagreements. They wanted people to talk things out instead of arguing. This was important because, at the time, there were big arguments between different Christian groups, like the Puritans and the Laudians.
They also believed that the world we see with our eyes isn't the only reality. They thought there were deeper, ideal forms behind everything. Our senses can sometimes trick us, but our minds can understand these deeper truths. They were against ideas that said everything is just physical matter.
Important People in the Group
Here are some of the key thinkers who were part of or influenced by the Cambridge Platonists:
- Benjamin Whichcote (1609–1683)
- Henry More (1614–1687)
- Ralph Cudworth (1617–1688)
- John Smith (1618–1652)
- Nathaniel Culverwel (1619–1651)
- Anne Conway, Viscountess Conway (1631–1679)
- Damaris Cudworth Masham (1659–1708)
Their Writings
Many of the Cambridge Platonists wrote books and sermons to share their ideas:
- Benjamin Whichcote was a popular speaker. He didn't publish much during his life, but his ideas were collected and published after he died.
- Henry More wrote many books, including Manual of Ethics and Divine Dialogues. His Divine Dialogues was very popular.
- Ralph Cudworth wrote a major work called The True Intellectual System of the Universe.
- John Smith was known for his clear writing style. His Select Discourses explained his Christian Platonist ideas.
See also
- Platonism in the Renaissance
