Henry More and the development of absolute time

Area of Science:

• History of Science
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of Time

Background:

• The concept of absolute time in English thought.
• Henry More's philosophical and scientific contributions.
• The influence of Plotinus and Descartes on 17th-century philosophy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present Henry More's evolving account of absolute time.
• To demonstrate the influence of Plotinus on More's concept of time.
• To analyze More's engagement with Descartes' vortex cosmology and its impact on his views of time.
• To establish More's role as a precursor to Newton and Clarke in developing absolute time theories.

Main Methods:

• Textual analysis of Henry More's writings.
• Historical contextualization within 17th-century English philosophy and science.
• Comparative analysis of More's ideas with those of Plotinus, Descartes, Newton, and Clarke.

Main Results:

• More possesses a distinct and evolving account of absolute time.
• More's concept of time shows significant influence from Plotinus.
• More's temporal theories were shaped by his adoption of Cartesian cosmology.
• Evidence supports More's project to integrate Cartesian natural philosophy with Platonic metaphysics.

Conclusions:

• Henry More's work is a crucial, yet often overlooked, foundation for absolute time concepts in English thought.
• More's synthesis of Platonic and Cartesian ideas offers a unique perspective on 17th-century natural philosophy.
• Henry More should be recognized as a key source for later developments in absolute time by Newton and Clarke.