British Philosophy in the Long Eighteenth Century

No one has done more to deepen our appreciation of eighteenth-century British philosophy than Kenneth P. Winkler. Winkler’s work has had a decisive influence on our understanding of virtually all the period’s major figures and has also helped to bring light to the enduring philosophical significance of less well-known figures.

The chapters in this volume extend our understanding of themes that have been illuminated by Winkler’s work, covering a wide range of topics and figures in eighteenth-century British philosophy. Some attempt to resolve longstanding interpretive debates about, for example, whether Berkeley’s idealism leads inevitably to occasionalism or the character of Hume’s skepticism. Others explore new lines of inquiry about, for example, Locke’s account of moral knowledge or the ways in which Hume was influenced by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury. Some engage with the canonical philosophical texts that Winkler has done so much to illuminate, such as Locke’s Essay, Berkeley’s Principles, or Hume’s Enquiry. Others follow Winkler’s lead by bringing to light the philosophical significance of less well-known texts, such as Elizabeth Montagu’s An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespeare or Mary Shepherd’s Essays on the Perception of an External Universe. Collectively, the essays not only honor Winkler’s extraordinary career but also shed new light on one of the most fertile periods in the history of philosophy.

British Philosophy in the Long Eighteenth Century will appeal to scholars and graduate students working in the history of philosophy, specifically eighteenth-century British philosophy.