Peter Browne (theologian)

Peter Browne (theologian)

Peter Browne (?1665 - August 27, 1735), Irish divine and bishop of Cork and Ross, was born in County Dublin, not long after the Restoration.

He entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1682, and after ten years' residence obtained a fellowship. In 1699 he was made provost of the college, and in the same year published his "Letter in answer to a Book entitled "Christianity not Mysterious," which was recognized as the ablest reply yet written to Toland. It expounds in germ the whole of his later theory of analogy. In 1710 he was made bishop of Cork and Ross, which post he held till his death in 1735.

In 1713 he had become somewhat notorious from his vigorous pamphleteering attack on the fashion of drinking healths, especially "to the glorious and immortal memory." His two most important works are the "Procedure, Extent, and Limits of the Human Understanding" (1728), an able though sometimes captious critique of Locke's essay, and "Things Divine and Supernatural conceived by Analogy with Things Natural and Human, more briefly referred to as the Divine Analogy" (1733).

The doctrine of analogy was intended as a reply to the deistical conclusions that had been drawn from Locke's theory of knowledge. Browne holds that not only God's essence, but his attributes are inexpressible by our ideas, and can only be conceived analogically. This view was vigorously assailed as leading to atheism by Berkeley in his "Alciphron" (Dialogue iv.), and a great part of the "Divine Analogy" is occupied with a defence against that criticism. The bishop emphasizes the distinction between metaphor and analogy; though the conceived attributes are not thought. as they are in themselves, yet there is a reality corresponding in some way to our ideas of them.

His analogical arguments resemble those found in the Bampton Lectures of Dean Mansel. Browne was a man of abstemious habits, charitable disposition, and impressive eloquence.

*1911


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Peter Browne — may refer to:* Peter Browne (Mayflower Pilgrim) (1594 ndash; 1633), Pilgrim and English colonist who arrived in North America on the Mayflower * Peter Browne (Irish musician) (born 1953), Irish performer of traditional music * Peter Browne… …   Wikipedia

  • List of alumni of St Peter's College, Auckland — The following is a list of some of the alumni of St Peter s College, Auckland. These notes are based on information available in the publicly available sources in the notes and list of reference sources. Every effort has been made to ensure that… …   Wikipedia

  • Berkeley, George — George Berkeley David Berman BACKGROUND AND EARLY WORK George Berkeley was born on 12 March 1685 in Co. Kilkenny, where he spent his early years. His father was from England, his mother (very probably) was born in Ireland.1 After attending… …   History of philosophy

  • 1733 in literature — The year 1733 in literature involved some significant events and new books.Events* Antoine François Prévost (Abbé Prévost) arrives in London, where he will edit Le Pour et centre . * Voltaire begins his relationship with Emilie de Breteuil,… …   Wikipedia

  • List of University of Pennsylvania people — This is a list of current and former faculty, alumni, and non graduating attendees of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Nobel LaureatesPhysics *Raymond Davis 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics **for… …   Wikipedia

  • List of people who converted to Catholicism — This page lists historic individuals who at some point in their lives, sometimes on their deathbeds, formally adopted the Catholic faith without having been born into it. Individuals who were baptized Catholics, but who as an adult practiced a… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Duke University people — This list of Duke University people includes alumni, faculty, presidents, and major philanthropists of Duke University, which includes three undergraduate and ten graduate schools. The undergraduate schools include Trinity College of Arts and… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Trinitarian Universalists — According to Trinitarian Universalists, the Bible itself (both Old and New Testaments) advocate the universal reconciliation of humanity to God. As a result, the Hebrew Prophets who prophesied of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (John… …   Wikipedia

  • Deaths in 1997 — For earlier deaths, see Deaths in 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992 1991, ... For later deaths, see Deaths in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, ... Contents 1 …   Wikipedia

  • List of Huguenots — Some notable Huguenots or people with Huguenot ancestry include:*Jacques Abbadie, French theologian *Moses Amyraut, French theologian, proponent of Amyraldism *Charles Ancillon, French jurist and diplomat *John André, British officer and spy… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”