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From Cudworth to Hume: Cambridge Platonism and the Scottish Enlightenment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Sarah Hutton
Sarah Hutton*
Affiliation:
Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Aberystwyth University, Hugh Owen Building, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DY, UK
*
*Email: sfh@aber.ac.uk
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Abstract

This paper argues that the Cambridge Platonists had stronger philosophical links to Scottish moral philosophy than the received history allows. Building on the work of Michael Gill who has demonstrated links between ethical thought of More, Cudworth and Smith and moral sentimentalism, I outline some links between the Cambridge Platonists and Scottish thinkers in both the seventeenth century (e.g., James Nairn, Henry Scougal) and the eighteenth century (e.g., Smith, Blair, Stewart). I then discuss Hume's knowledge of Cudworth, in Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals, Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, The Natural History of Religion and Dialogues concerning Natural Religion.

Keywords

Cambridge PlatonismHumeethicsScotland
Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Philosophy , Volume 42 , Issue S1: Hume in Alberta: Selected Papers from the 2012 Hume Conference in Calgary , February 2012 , pp. 8 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012

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