Person Cudworth; Ralph (1617 - 1688); philosopher and theologian Cudworth Ralph philosopher and theologian 1617 - 1688 British Male Aller, Somerset, England, Europe 1617 0 Christ's College, Cambridge, England, Europe 26 June 1688 16880627 Baptism: Aller, Somerset, England, Europe (13 July 1617) Burial: Christ's College chapel, Cambridge, England, Europe (27 June 1688)

Clergyman, Church of England Mechanical philosophy Education: Pupil of his step-father, Dr Stoughton; Emmanuel College, Cambridge (BA 1635; MA 1639; BD 1646; DD 1651) Career: Fellow of Emmanuel (1639); published 'A Discourse Concerning the True Notion of the Lord's Supper' and 'The Union of Christ and the Church a Shadow' (1642); Master of Clare Hall, Cambridge (1646-1654); Regius Professor of Hebrew, University of Cambridge (1645-death); Incumbent of North Cadbury, Somerset (1650); Master of Christ's College, Cambridge (1654); Adviser to the scholars preparing the Polyglot Bible (1654-1657); Rector of Toft, Cambridgeshire (1656); Vicar of Great Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire (1656); Rector of Ashwell, Hertfordshire (1662); Prebendary of Gloucester (1678); published 'The true intellectual system of the universe, wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and its impossibility demonstrated' (1678); one of the Cambridge Platonists Parents: Dr Ralph Cudworth and Mary Machell Married: Damaris Andrewes Children: approx. four, incl. Damaris Masham He had active roles under Cromwell, which caused some royalists to be critical of Cudworth's continued mastership of Christ's College Cambridge after the Restoration in 1660. His most well-known work is his 1678 on the impossibility of atheism, which garnered some criticism for seemingly reporting atheists' reasoning fairly. His work on morality remained as manuscripts at his death in 1688. He was close acquaintances with Henry More (FRS 1664) and John Worthington through his involvement with the group of philosophers and clergymen later known as the Cambridge Platonists. Fellow 17/09/1662 John Wilkins Sources: DNB; DSB; Venn; Hunter; ODNB Notes: While Blount was elected in 1661, he is not considered an Original Fellow of the Royal Society, a classification reserved for those named in the second charter of the Society granted in 1663, or elected within the following two month period stipulated therein for the declaration of Fellows. The original Fellows are only those who were officially declared at the meetings of 20 May 1663 and 22 June 1663, so elections like Blount's that predated these meetings were no longer recognised. He was not elected after the second charter's admission period. International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 17/02/2022 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA4534 21/11/2001 Andyg Gudrun 28/03/2023 RS_NET\JonathanB Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/39466716 f19d591a-56ff-47b6-8577-3723f9b2f361