Anthony Ashley-Cooper

Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (1671–1713) was an English Whig politician, philosopher, and writer. Born in London, he was the son of the 2nd Earl of Shaftesbury and Lady Dorothy Manners. His early education was overseen by John Locke, following the principles of Locke's 'Some Thoughts Concerning Education.' Ashley entered public life as a Member of Parliament for Poole in 1695. He was known for his advocacy of the Bill for Regulating Trials in Cases of Treason. Suffering from poor health, including asthma, he retired from parliament in 1698 but remained active in political discourse, particularly in the House of Lords after succeeding his father as Earl of Shaftesbury in 1699. He spent periods in the Netherlands, seeking a healthier climate. His philosophical work, primarily ethics, religion, and aesthetics, is largely contained in 'Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times' (1711). In this work, he is considered a founder of moral sense theory, opposing thinkers like Thomas Hobbes. He emphasized harmony and balance in human nature and society, drawing parallels between moral and aesthetic criteria. His ideas influenced Enlightenment thinkers across Europe, including Denis Diderot, Gottfried Leibniz, and Johann Gottfried von Herder. He died in Naples in 1713 and was buried in Dorset.