Richard Whately
Richard Whately (February 1, 1787 – October 8, 1863) was an influential English philosopher and theologian, known for his contributions to logic, rhetoric, and religious thought. Born in London as the youngest of nine children, Whately experienced isolation early in life after the death of his father. He pursued his education at Oriel College, Oxford, where he became a fellow and was influenced by the ideas of Edward Copleston, helping to shape the "Broad Church" movement, which critiqued dogmatic views and opposed the Oxford Movement.
Whately's notable works include "Elements of Logic" (1826) and "Elements of Rhetoric" (1828), which stemmed from his earlier articles for the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana. He also published satirical critiques, such as "Historic Doubts Relative to Napoleon Buonaparte" (1819), challenging rationalist perspectives on miracles. In 1831, he became the Archbishop of Dublin, where he continued to write extensively, although his outspoken nature often led to unpopularity. His later years saw him advocate for phrenology and homeopathy, which may have complicated his health issues, ultimately leading to his death from complications of an ulcer. Whately's legacy includes his writings and the posthumous efforts of his daughter, who published his correspondence and biography.
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Subject Terms
Richard Whately
Logician
- Born: February 1, 1787
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: October 8, 1863
- Place of death: Dublin, Ireland
Biography
Richard Whately was born on February 1, 1787, in Cavendish Square, London, the youngest of nine children of the Reverend Canon Joseph Whately and his wife Jane, née Plumer. His father, who died when he was ten, was vicar of Widford, prebendary of Bristol, and a lecturer at Gresham College. Whatley was six years younger than his nearest sibling and grew up feeling isolated. He attended a private school in Bristol before completing his education at Oriel College, Oxford University, where he obtained his B.A. in 1808, became a fellow in 1811, and was awarded his M.A. in 1812. He and several other fellows, including writer Thomas Arnold, were enthusiastic popularizers of the ideas of Edward Copleston, founder of the Noetic school of Anglicans. Critical of dogma, Copleston’s disciples helped to found the “Broad Church” party and were opposed to the ideas of the Oxford Movement.
Whately became a college tutor in 1815 and wrote articles on logic and rhetoric for the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana; he later expanded these articles and published them in two books, Elements of Logic (1826) and Elements of Rhetoric (1828). In 1819, he published Historic Doubts Relative to Napoleon Buonaparte, a satire on rationalist criticism of scriptures, especially David Hume’s assertion that no evidence can ever be adequate to prove a miracle. On July 18, 1821, Whately married Elizabeth Pope, the cousin of his former fellow student Sherlock William; the couple had a son and four daughters, one of whom became the missionary Maria Louisa Whately. Marriage required him to leave Oriel, and he became rector of Haleworth in Suffolk, although he abandoned the position three yeas later because of his wife’s illness. In the meantime, he published his Bampton lectures on The Use and Abuse of Party Feeling in Matters of Religion (1822).
Whately was appointed principal of St Alban’s Hall in 1825 and professor of political economy in 1829, although he soon moved on again when he was appointed archbishop of Dublin in 1831. While still in his academic post he published Essays on Some of the Peculiarities of the Christian Religion. Despite his success within the church and the conspicuous moderation of his views, his caustic wit and willingness to speak his mind made him widely unpopular. His last major theological work, The Kingdom of Christ Delineated, was issued in 1841, but he continued to work on other projects, including an edition of Francis Bacon’s essays and an edition of works by William Paley, the central pillar of the Natural Theology Movement.
In later life Whately became an enthusiastic supporter of phrenology and later of homeopathy, convictions that may not have worked to his advantage when he began to suffer creeping paralysis in 1856. He refused orthodox treatment for an ulcer in 1863 and died of its complications on October 8, 1863. His daughter, Elizabeth Jane Whately, was his literary executor, arranging for publication of his correspondence and writing an effective biography.