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The Impact of Thomas Stanley's History of Philosophy on Margaret Cavendish.

  • Published In: Studies in Philology, 2023, v. 120, n. 2. P. 315 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Sherman, Anita Gilman 3 of 3

Abstract

This essay argues that Thomas Stanley's magisterial History of Philosophy influenced the evolution of Margaret Cavendish's thought in ways that have not been previously recognized. While scholars have discussed Cavendish's evolving views of atomism and materialism, a comparison of her attitudes toward Pythagoras and toward skepticism before and after 1660 suggests that Cavendish adopted a more nuanced approach to skepticism—and to philosophical debate and dissent more generally—after encountering Stanley's work. Her reading of Sextus Empiricus's Outlines of Pyrrhonism in Stanley's 1660 volume may also have informed her vigorous epistolary exchanges with Joseph Glanvill on the subject of witchcraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Studies in Philology. 2023/04, Vol. 120, Issue 2, p315
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0039-3738
  • DOI:10.1353/sip.2023.0010
  • Accession Number:163025332
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Studies in Philology is the property of University of North Carolina Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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