Richard Burthogge
Encyclopedia
Richard Burthogge [sometimes spelled Borthoge, Burthog, Burthoggius] (1637/38–1705) was an English
physician
, magistrate
and philosopher.
, was baptised in Plympton St Maurice on 30 January 1637 (OS; 1638 by the Gregorian calendar). He attended Exeter
grammar school, was admitted to All Souls College, Oxford
, as a servitor in 1654, migrated to Lincoln College, Oxford
, and graduated B.A. “completed by determination” in 1658. He matriculated at the University of Leiden in October 1661. His doctoral thesis was entitled “De lithiasi et calculo” and submitted on 27 February 1662.
Back in England, Burthogge practiced medicine in and near Totnes
. He spent many years at Bowden House, which belonged to his sister’s husband Edward Giles. Unprejudiced even against Catholics and probably himself a Non-Conformist, he was made a justice of the peace under James II
, a position he kept also under William III.
Burthogge was married at least three times. His first wife Sarah was the daughter of Andrew Trevill, to whom he dedicated The Divine Goodness in 1670 and his Organum Vetus et Novum in 1678. In the following years, then already married to Mary Deeble, Burthogge published several other works on religious subjects and two further philosophical works, both dedicated to John Locke
: An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits (1694) and Of the Soul of the World; and of Particular Souls (1699). Mary probably died in 1695. His daughters Sarah, Mary and Ann will have issued from these first two marriages. Ann, who died before her father, left a young son, Richard Babbage, ancestor of Charles Babbage
. At the time of his death, Burthogge was married to Honour and seems to have lived in Bowden. He was buried at St. Mary’s church, Totnes, on 24 July 1705.
, but generally a supporter, and an advocate of religious toleration
. His epistemology was empiricist, and he opposed innate ideas. His metaphysics
was distinctive, but not completely worked out.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and philosopher.
Life
Richard Burthogge, son of a captain of foot at the garrison of PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, was baptised in Plympton St Maurice on 30 January 1637 (OS; 1638 by the Gregorian calendar). He attended Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
grammar school, was admitted to All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, as a servitor in 1654, migrated to Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, and graduated B.A. “completed by determination” in 1658. He matriculated at the University of Leiden in October 1661. His doctoral thesis was entitled “De lithiasi et calculo” and submitted on 27 February 1662.
Back in England, Burthogge practiced medicine in and near Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. He spent many years at Bowden House, which belonged to his sister’s husband Edward Giles. Unprejudiced even against Catholics and probably himself a Non-Conformist, he was made a justice of the peace under James II
James II
James II may refer to:* James II, Count of La Marche , King Consort of Naples* James II , the second EP by Mancunian band James* James II of Aragon , King of Sicily...
, a position he kept also under William III.
Burthogge was married at least three times. His first wife Sarah was the daughter of Andrew Trevill, to whom he dedicated The Divine Goodness in 1670 and his Organum Vetus et Novum in 1678. In the following years, then already married to Mary Deeble, Burthogge published several other works on religious subjects and two further philosophical works, both dedicated to John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
: An Essay upon Reason, and the Nature of Spirits (1694) and Of the Soul of the World; and of Particular Souls (1699). Mary probably died in 1695. His daughters Sarah, Mary and Ann will have issued from these first two marriages. Ann, who died before her father, left a young son, Richard Babbage, ancestor of Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage, FRS was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who originated the concept of a programmable computer...
. At the time of his death, Burthogge was married to Honour and seems to have lived in Bowden. He was buried at St. Mary’s church, Totnes, on 24 July 1705.
Views
In his philosophical and theological writings he was a critic in some matters of John LockeJohn Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
, but generally a supporter, and an advocate of religious toleration
Religious toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
. His epistemology was empiricist, and he opposed innate ideas. His metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
was distinctive, but not completely worked out.
Works
- Divine Goodness explicated and vindicated from the Exceptions of the Atheist (1670) (entitled “Tagathon, or Divine Goodness…” in the 1671 and 1672 editions)
- Causa Dei, or an Apology for God (1675)
- Organum vetus et novum, or Discourse on Reason and Truth (1678)
- An Argument for Infants’ Baptism (1683)
- Vindiciae Paedo-Baptismi (1685)
- Prudential Reasons for repealing the Penal Laws against all Recusants (1687)
- The Nature of Church-Government (1691)
- Essay upon Reason and the Nature of Spirits (1694)
- Of the Soul of the World; and of Particular Souls (1699)
- Christianity a Revealed Mystery (1702)
Further reading
- Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Margaret Winifred Landes, (editor) (1921) The Philosophical Writings of Richard Burthogge
- Michael R. AyersMichael R. AyersMichael Richard Ayers, FBA, is a British philosopher and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Oxford. He studied at St. John's College of the University of Cambridge, and was a member of Wadham College, Oxford from 1965 until 2002...
(2005). Richard Burthogge and the Origins of Modern Conceptualism. In Tom Sorell & G. A. J. Rogers (eds.), Analytic Philosophy and History of Philosophy. Oxford University Press. - Gabriel NuchelmansGabriel NuchelmansGabriel Nuchelmans was a Dutch philosopher, focusing on the history of philosophy, especially philosophy of the Middle Ages, as well as logic and philosophy of language....
, Judgement and proposition: from Descartes to Kant (1983)