Henry Sidgwick

Henry Sidgwick
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Name	Henry Sidgwick
Birth date	May 31, 1838
Birth place	Skipton, West Riding of Yorkshire
Death date	August 28, 1900
Death place	Cambridge
School tradition	Utilitarianism, Intuitionism
Main interests	Ethics, Philosophy of religion, Parapsychology
Notable ideas	Dualism of practical reason, Esoteric morality
Influences	John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, Aristotle
Influenced	G.E. Moore, Bertrand Russell, George Edward Moore

Henry Sidgwick was a prominent English philosopher and economist who made significant contributions to the fields of ethics, philosophy of religion, and parapsychology. He was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and held the position of Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Sidgwick's work was heavily influenced by John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and Aristotle, and he is known for his utilitarian and intuitionist views. He was also a member of the Society for Psychical Research, alongside other notable figures such as William James and Frederic William Henry Myers.

Life

Henry Sidgwick was born on May 31, 1838, in Skipton, West Riding of Yorkshire, to William Sidgwick and Mary Crofts Sidgwick. He was educated at Rugby School and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied classics and mathematics. Sidgwick was heavily influenced by his tutors, including John Grote and William Whewell, and he developed a strong interest in philosophy and ethics. He was elected a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge in 1859 and later became the Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Sidgwick was also a member of the Cambridge Apostles, a secret society that included other notable figures such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Arthur Hallam.

Philosophy

Sidgwick's philosophical views were shaped by his studies of John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant, and he is known for his utilitarian and intuitionist views. He believed that ethics should be based on reason and that the ultimate goal of human action should be to maximize overall happiness. Sidgwick was also interested in the philosophy of religion and wrote extensively on the topic, including his book The Methods of Ethics. He was a strong critic of theism and argued that it was incompatible with modern science and rational inquiry. Sidgwick's philosophical views were influenced by other notable thinkers, including Aristotle, David Hume, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Ethics

Sidgwick's work on ethics is considered some of his most important contributions to philosophy. He believed that ethics should be based on reason and that the ultimate goal of human action should be to maximize overall happiness. Sidgwick argued that there are two main methods of ethics: utilitarianism and intuitionism. He believed that utilitarianism was the more rational approach, but he also recognized the importance of intuitionism in certain situations. Sidgwick's views on ethics were influenced by other notable thinkers, including John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and Aristotle. He was also interested in the ethics of belief and argued that it is important to believe in things that are supported by evidence and reason. Sidgwick's work on ethics has been influential in the development of moral philosophy and has been studied by other notable philosophers, including G.E. Moore and Bertrand Russell.

Influence and Legacy

Sidgwick's work has had a significant influence on the development of philosophy and ethics. He is considered one of the most important utilitarian thinkers of the 19th century, and his work has been studied by other notable philosophers, including G.E. Moore and Bertrand Russell. Sidgwick's views on ethics and philosophy of religion have also been influential in the development of moral philosophy and philosophy of religion. He was a fellow of the British Academy and a member of the Society for Psychical Research, and he was awarded the Order of the Bath in 1889. Sidgwick's legacy continues to be felt today, and his work remains an important part of the philosophical canon. His ideas have been influential in the development of liberalism and socialism, and he has been cited by other notable thinkers, including John Rawls and Robert Nozick.

Works

Sidgwick's most famous work is The Methods of Ethics, which was first published in 1874. The book is a comprehensive treatment of ethics and moral philosophy, and it has been widely influential in the development of utilitarianism and intuitionism. Sidgwick also wrote extensively on the philosophy of religion and published several books on the topic, including The Principles of Political Economy and The Development of European Polity. He was also a prolific writer of articles and reviews, and his work was published in a variety of journals, including the Contemporary Review and the Mind. Sidgwick's work has been translated into several languages, including French, German, and Italian, and it continues to be studied by scholars around the world. Other notable works by Sidgwick include Outlines of the History of Ethics and Lectures on the Ethics of T.H. Green, Mr. Herbert Spencer, and J. Martineau. Category:Philosophers