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Uvic Thesis Template A Godless Fable: Atheism and the Philosophy of Bernard Mandeville by Patrick Corbeil BA, University of Victoria, 2009 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master Of Arts in the Department of History Patrick Corbeil, 2011 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee A Godless Fable: Atheism and the Philosophy of Bernard Mandeville by Patrick Corbeil BA, University of Victoria, 2009 Supervisory Committee Dr. Paul Wood, (Department of History) Supervisor Dr. Gregory Blue, (Department of History) Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Paul Wood, (Department of History) Supervisor Dr. Gregory Blue, (Department of History) Departmental Member The Anglo-Dutch philosopher Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) was among the most controversial figures writing in English in the eighteenth century. His satirical exploration of the nature of human sociability and economic prosperity infuriated his contemporary critics and deeply influenced the ideas of later Enlightenment philosophes. One of the most persistent questions about Mandeville's work concerns the sincerity of his declarations of Christian piety. Mandeville is commonly identified as a deist. This thesis explores the possibility that he was an atheist. The question is examined through an analysis of Mandeville’s major influences, most notably French Jansenism, Epicureanism, Scepticism, erudite libertinism, and Dutch republicanism. Key figures that Mandeville engaged with in his writings include Pierre Bayle, René Descartes, Shaftesbury, Thomas Hobbes, Pierre Nicole, and Pierre Gassendi. In the process of discussing Mandeville’s putative atheism, the methodological problem of researching and identifying atheism in early-modern Europe is explored. iv Table of Contents Supervisory Committee.......................................................................................................ii Abstract...............................................................................................................................iii Table of Contents................................................................................................................iv List of Abbreviations...........................................................................................................v List of Figures.....................................................................................................................vi Acknowledgements............................................................................................................vii Chapter 1: Introduction and Historiography........................................................................1 I........................................................................................................................................5 II ......................................................................................................................................7 III....................................................................................................................................13 Chapter 2: The Passions and the Origin of Moral Virtue..................................................20 I......................................................................................................................................20 II.....................................................................................................................................31 III....................................................................................................................................38 IV...................................................................................................................................44 V.....................................................................................................................................51 Chapter 3: Charity Schools and Mandeville’s Critics........................................................53 I......................................................................................................................................54 II.....................................................................................................................................59 III....................................................................................................................................61 IV...................................................................................................................................67 Chapter 4: Mandeville on Atheism....................................................................................69 I......................................................................................................................................69 II.....................................................................................................................................73 III....................................................................................................................................77 IV...................................................................................................................................81 Chapter 5: The Natural History of Society........................................................................82 I......................................................................................................................................83 II.....................................................................................................................................86 III....................................................................................................................................89 IV...................................................................................................................................93 V.....................................................................................................................................96 Chapter 6: Materialism and the Soul.................................................................................98 I......................................................................................................................................99 II...................................................................................................................................104 III..................................................................................................................................108 IV.................................................................................................................................113 Chapter 7: Conclusion......................................................................................................119 Bibliography....................................................................................................................124 v List of Abbreviations In citing works in the notes, short titles have been used for Mandeville’s works, frequently cited works and conventionally abbreviated works. These works are identified by the following abbreviations: CSM(K) I, II, III Descartes, René. The Philosophical Writings of Descartes. 3 vols. Edited by John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff, Dugald Murdoch and Anthony Kenny. 3 volumes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985. FB Mandeville, Bernard. The Fable of the Bees: Or, Private Vices, Publick Benefits. London, 1714. GALE: Eighteenth Century Collections Online. FBK I, II Mandeville, Bernard. The Fable of the Bees: Or, Private Vices, Publick Benefits. 2 vols. Edited by F.B. Kaye. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1988. FT Mandeville, Bernard. Free Thoughts on Religion, the Church, and National Happiness. Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt: Friedrich Frommann Verlag (Günther Holzboog), 1969. HEF Hundert, E.G. The Enlightenment’s Fable: Bernard Mandeville and the Discovery of Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994. OH Mandeville, Bernard. An Enquiry into the Origin of Honour, and the Usefulness of Christianity in War. London: John Brotherton, 1723. GALE: Eighteenth Century Collections Online. MT Mandeville, Bernard. A Treatise of the Hypochondriack and Hysterick Diseases In Three Dialogues, 1st ed. London, 1711. GALE: Eighteenth Century Collections Online. MT 3rd Mandeville, Bernard. A Treatise of the Hypochondriack and Hysterick Diseases In Three Dialogues. 3rd ed. London, 1730. GALE: Eighteenth Century Collections Online. MVU Mandeville, Bernard. The Virgin Unmask’d: or, Female Dialogues between an Elderly Maiden Lady and Her Niece. London, 1709. GALE: Eighteenth Century Collections Online. vi List of Figures 1. Front Matter of the first edition of A Treatise of the Hypochondriack and Hysterick Diseases In Three Dialogues 117 2. Front Matter of the second edition of the Fable of the Bees 118 vii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the invaluable instruction and guidance of my supervisor, Dr. Paul Wood. My interest in the Enlightenment and in intellectual history were sparked and nurtured by Dr. Wood while I was an undergraduate student and in many ways this project would have been impossible without his participation. I would also like to thank Dr. Gregory Blue and Dr. David Scott for their helpful insights as part of my examining committee. The faculty and staff of the Department of History were also instrumental
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