Philosophy of Edward Stillingfleet (Thoemmes Press - Philosophy and Christian Thought in Britian 1700-1900)

'Edward Stillingfleet, besides being a formidable critic of Locke, was an important thinker in his own right, widely read and respected in the 17th century. John Rogers and Thoemmes Press are to be commended for making some of Stillingfleet's most significant works, which have long been out of print, available once again.'
- Professor Vere Chappell

The fame of Edward Stillingfleet (1635 - 99) in the history of philosophy rests on his important controversy with Locke. However, he was a significant and influential philosopher in his own right whose other works are often neglected. This collection gives the opportunity to assess all of Stillingfleet's major philosophical writings, as well as his important critique of Locke's philosophy.

Locke's long-awaited Essay concerning Human Understanding, published in March 1690, met with immediate success but also a flood of literature in opposition. Stillingfleet, then Bishop of Worcester, was the most famous of the critics. First in his Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity, and then in two further letters, he drew attention to the inconsistencies of Locke's argument and in particular the unsatisfactory explanation of the idea of substance. Locke replied at length and the published letters between them continued back and forth until the bishop's death in 1699.

In addition to these exchanges, this collection includes Stillingfleet's important writings on Church and State and the authority of the Bible. Added to these is a biography of Stillingfleet thought to have been written by Richard Bentley, who lived in Stillingfleet's house and was his chaplain. The texts are extremely scarce in their original editions, and until now largely unavailable to most scholars. The editor G. A. J. Rogers has selected the best editions of Stillingfleet's works and provides a new introduction to the collection.

--the first reprint of many of Stillingfleet's works since the 18th century
--extremely scarce texts, otherwise virtually impossible to access
--a major intellectual figure from a crucial point in English history
--essential for a proper understanding of Locke's masterpiece, An Essay concerning Human Understanding