Joseph Butler (1692–1752)
Author of The Analogy of Religion
About the Author
Born at Wautage, Berkshire, England, of a Presbyterian family, Joseph Butler converted to the Church of England sometime before entering Oriel College, Oxford University. He was ordained a priest in 1718, later serving as Bishop of Bristol and then as Bishop of Durham. Butler's contributions to show more philosophy lie in his moral philosophy and moral psychology, set forth in his Sermons (1726) and in his natural theology, expressed in The Analogy of Religion (1736). Butler presented his moral philosophy in a religious context. Yet, his moral philosophy seeks to find a foundation for morality not in the divine will but in human nature, in the interplay of self-love and benevolence, and in reflection or conscience-a faculty superior to particular affections. In moral philosophy Butler is well known for his acute criticisms of the psychological egoism of Hobbes and Mandeville and in natural theology for his defense of revealed religion against the English deists. In an appendix to the Analogy, he presented an influential critique of John Locke's theory of personal identity. Butler died in 1752. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Joseph Butler
Fifteen sermons preached at Rolls Chapel : to which is added six sermons preached on publick occasions (1726) 38 copies
The Age of Enlightenment: An anthology of eighteenth-century texts: Volume 1 (1979) — Contributor — 26 copies
Fifteen sermons preached at the Rolls Chapel ; and, A dissertation upon the nature of virtue (1970) 5 copies
The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Joseph Butler, D. C. L., Late Lord Bishop of Durham (1844) 2 copies
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1692-05-18
- Date of death
- 1752-06-16
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- England
UK - Places of residence
- Wantage, Oxfordshire, England
Berkshire, England, UK - Education
- Oxford University (Oriel College)
Samuel Jones' dissenting academy, Gloucester - Occupations
- cleric
preacher
bishop
theologian
philosopher
rector (Stanhope) - Short biography
- Bishop of Durham
Members
Discussions
Joseph Butler in Philosophy and Theory (March 2008)
Reviews
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 26
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 396
- Popularity
- #61,231
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 5
- ISBNs
- 48
- Languages
- 2
Imagine the pleasure of finding Voltaire, Samuel Johnson, Rousseau and Gibbon between one set of covers! Each author is prefaced by a couple of paragraphs explaining the significance of the piece and then, they are given free rein.
If there is any man brave enough to give this collection of the World's great thinkers less than five stars, its not I! Superb reading of people just beginning to exercise their new found right to question everything.