About
Francis Herbert Bradley (1846-1924) was a British philosopher and a leading figure of absolute idealism. Born in Clapham, he studied at Oxford and became a fellow of Merton College in 1870, a position he held for life. His work criticized empiricism and utilitarianism, proposing a monistic metaphysics where reality is an undivided whole of experience. His major works, Ethical Studies (1876), The Principles of Logic (1883), and Appearance and Reality (1893), influenced the thought and poetry of T. S. Eliot. He was the first British philosopher to receive the Order of Merit. After a decline in reputation, his work was rediscovered from the 1970s onward.
Major works
- Ethical Studies (1876)philosophical essay
- The Principles of Logic (1883)logic treatise
- Appearance and Reality (1893)metaphysics treatise
- Essays on Truth and Reality (1914)essay collection
Key milestones
- 1870Elected fellow of Merton College, Oxford, where he remained until his death.
- 1893Publication of his major work, Appearance and Reality, expounding a monistic absolute idealism.
- 1924First British philosopher to receive the Order of Merit.
Themes
Absolute idealismCritique of empiricismMonismTheory of truthEthics
Sources: plato.stanford.edu · britannica.com