Frederick Copleston 1907 – 1994
Frederick Copleston (1907 – 1994) was a British philosopher of the Contemporary era, associated with Christian Philosophy.
Frederick Charles Copleston was an English Jesuit priest, philosopher, and historian of philosophy and the author of the standard English-language survey of Western philosophy, A History of Philosophy, in nine volumes published between 1946 and 1975. He spent much of his career at Heythrop College and at Gregorian University in Rome and held visiting chairs in the United States. He is also remembered for the 1948 BBC radio debate with Bertrand Russell on the existence of God, in which he set out a version of the cosmological argument from contingency. His careful, sympathetic readings of philosophers across the spectrum shaped a generation of students.
Key facts
- Nationality
- British
- Era
- Contemporary
- Movements
- Christian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Frederick Copleston:
“The history of philosophy is the slow and patient work of the human spirit.”
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Attributed to Frederick Copleston:
“To understand a philosopher we must enter his concerns from the inside.”
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Attributed to Frederick Copleston:
“The argument for the existence of God rests on the demand for sufficient reason.”
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Attributed to Frederick Copleston:
“Philosophy without history is shallow; history without philosophy is blind.”
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Attributed to Frederick Copleston:
“We must not measure the past by the standards of the present.”
Frederick Copleston by topic
Frequently asked about Frederick Copleston
- When did Frederick Copleston live?
- Frederick Copleston was born in 1907 and died in 1994.
- Where was Frederick Copleston from?
- Frederick Copleston was a British philosopher of the Contemporary era.
- What philosophical movements is Frederick Copleston associated with?
- Frederick Copleston was associated with Christian Philosophy.
- What was Frederick Copleston known for?
- Frederick Charles Copleston was an English Jesuit priest, philosopher, and historian of philosophy and the author of the standard English-language survey of Western philosophy, A History of Philosophy, in nine volumes published between 1946 and 1975.
- How many quotes are attributed to Frederick Copleston?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Frederick Copleston in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.