Samuel Clarke 1675 – 1729
Samuel Clarke (1675 – 1729) was an English philosopher of the Modern era, associated with Rationalism and Early Modern Philosophy.
Samuel Clarke was an English Anglican clergyman and philosopher of religion, a close associate of Newton and the foremost rationalist theologian of his age. His Boyle Lectures of 1704 and 1705, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God and A Discourse concerning the Unchangeable Obligations of Natural Religion, set out a celebrated cosmological argument for a self-existent first cause and a strictly rationalist account of moral obligation. His correspondence with Leibniz on space, time, and the nature of God remains one of the most important philosophical exchanges of the early modern period. His subordinationist views on the Trinity drew ecclesiastical censure but did not end his career.
Key facts
- Nationality
- English
- Era
- Modern
- Movements
- Rationalism, Early Modern Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Samuel Clarke:
“Whatever exists must have a cause or a ground for existing.”
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Attributed to Samuel Clarke:
“There is necessarily an eternal and self-existent being.”
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Attributed to Samuel Clarke:
“Right and wrong are founded in the eternal nature of things.”
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Attributed to Samuel Clarke:
“Liberty is the power of self-determination of action.”
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Attributed to Samuel Clarke:
“Moral truths are as eternal and necessary as those of mathematics.”
Samuel Clarke by topic
Frequently asked about Samuel Clarke
- When did Samuel Clarke live?
- Samuel Clarke was born in 1675 and died in 1729.
- Where was Samuel Clarke from?
- Samuel Clarke was an English philosopher of the Modern era.
- What philosophical movements is Samuel Clarke associated with?
- Samuel Clarke was associated with Rationalism and Early Modern Philosophy.
- What was Samuel Clarke known for?
- Samuel Clarke was an English Anglican clergyman and philosopher of religion, a close associate of Newton and the foremost rationalist theologian of his age.
- How many quotes are attributed to Samuel Clarke?
- There are 6 attributed quotations from Samuel Clarke in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.