Abraham Tucker
Encyclopedia
Abraham Tucker was an English
country gentleman, who devoted himself to the study of philosophy
. He wrote The Light of Nature Pursued (7 vols., 1768-78) under the name of Edward Search.
of a Somerset
family, the son of a wealthy city merchant. His parents died during his infancy, and he was brought up by his uncle, Sir Isaac Tillard. In 1721, he entered Merton College, Oxford
, as a gentleman commoner, and studied philosophy, mathematics, French
, Italian
and music
. He afterwards studied laws at the Inner Temple
, but was never called to the bar.
In 1727 he bought Betchworth Castle, near Dorking
, where he passed the remainder of his life. In 1736 Tucker married Dorothy, the daughter of Edward Barker of East Betchworth, cursitor baron of the exchequer
. On her death in 1754, he occupied himself in collecting together all the letters that had passed between them, which, we are told, he transcribed twice over under the title of “The Picture of Artless Love.”
From this time onward, he occupied himself with the composition of his chief work, The Light of Nature Pursued, of which in 1763 he published a specimen under the title of “Free Will.” The strictures of a critic in the Monthly Review of July 1763 drew from him a pamphlet called Man in Quest of Himself, by “Cuthbert Comment” (reprinted in Parr's Metaphysical Tracts, 1837), “a defence of the individuality of the human mind or self.” In 1765 the first four volumes of his work were published. The remaining three volumes appeared posthumously. His eyesight failed him completely in 1771, but he contrived an ingenious apparatus which enabled him to write so legibly that the result could easily be transcribed by his daughter. In this way he completed the later volumes, which were ready for publication when he died.
He took no part in politics, and wrote a pamphlet, “The Country Gentleman's Advice to his Son on the Subject of Party Clubs” (1755), cautioning young men against its snares.
that Tucker's speculations are remembered. In some important points he anticipates the utilitarianism
afterwards systematized by Paley, who expresses in the amplest terms his obligations to his predecessor. “Every man's own satisfaction” Tucker holds to be the ultimate end of action; and satisfaction or pleasure is one and the same in kind, however much it may vary in degree. This universal motive is further connected, as by William Paley
, through the will of God, with the “general good, the root where out all our rules of conduct and sentiments of honour are to branch.”
The Light of Nature was republished with a biographical sketch by Tucker's grandson, Sir H. P. St John Mildmay (1905), 7 vols. (other editions 1834, 1836, &c.), and an abridged edition by W. Hazlitt
appeared in 1807. It is rather a miscellany than a systematic treatise, but contains much original and acute thinking.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
country gentleman, who devoted himself to the study of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. He wrote The Light of Nature Pursued (7 vols., 1768-78) under the name of Edward Search.
Biography
Tucker was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
of a Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
family, the son of a wealthy city merchant. His parents died during his infancy, and he was brought up by his uncle, Sir Isaac Tillard. In 1721, he entered Merton College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, as a gentleman commoner, and studied philosophy, mathematics, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. He afterwards studied laws at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, but was never called to the bar.
In 1727 he bought Betchworth Castle, near Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
, where he passed the remainder of his life. In 1736 Tucker married Dorothy, the daughter of Edward Barker of East Betchworth, cursitor baron of the exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
. On her death in 1754, he occupied himself in collecting together all the letters that had passed between them, which, we are told, he transcribed twice over under the title of “The Picture of Artless Love.”
From this time onward, he occupied himself with the composition of his chief work, The Light of Nature Pursued, of which in 1763 he published a specimen under the title of “Free Will.” The strictures of a critic in the Monthly Review of July 1763 drew from him a pamphlet called Man in Quest of Himself, by “Cuthbert Comment” (reprinted in Parr's Metaphysical Tracts, 1837), “a defence of the individuality of the human mind or self.” In 1765 the first four volumes of his work were published. The remaining three volumes appeared posthumously. His eyesight failed him completely in 1771, but he contrived an ingenious apparatus which enabled him to write so legibly that the result could easily be transcribed by his daughter. In this way he completed the later volumes, which were ready for publication when he died.
He took no part in politics, and wrote a pamphlet, “The Country Gentleman's Advice to his Son on the Subject of Party Clubs” (1755), cautioning young men against its snares.
Work
His work embraces in its scope many psychological and more strictly metaphysical discussions, but it is chiefly in connexion with ethicsEthics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
that Tucker's speculations are remembered. In some important points he anticipates the utilitarianism
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
afterwards systematized by Paley, who expresses in the amplest terms his obligations to his predecessor. “Every man's own satisfaction” Tucker holds to be the ultimate end of action; and satisfaction or pleasure is one and the same in kind, however much it may vary in degree. This universal motive is further connected, as by William Paley
William Paley
William Paley was a British Christian apologist, philosopher, and utilitarian. He is best known for his exposition of the teleological argument for the existence of God in his work Natural Theology, which made use of the watchmaker analogy .-Life:Paley was Born in Peterborough, England, and was...
, through the will of God, with the “general good, the root where out all our rules of conduct and sentiments of honour are to branch.”
The Light of Nature was republished with a biographical sketch by Tucker's grandson, Sir H. P. St John Mildmay (1905), 7 vols. (other editions 1834, 1836, &c.), and an abridged edition by W. Hazlitt
William Hazlitt
William Hazlitt was an English writer, remembered for his humanistic essays and literary criticism, and as a grammarian and philosopher. He is now considered one of the great critics and essayists of the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell. Yet his work is...
appeared in 1807. It is rather a miscellany than a systematic treatise, but contains much original and acute thinking.