Against Fatalism: Plotinus? De Fato in Ralph Cudworth?s The True Intellectual System of the Universe

NATALIA STROK

Conferencia; Moral Agency and its Constraints: Fate, Determinism and Free Will in the Middle Ages Summerschool 2015; 2015

Ralph Cudworth?s The True Intellectual System of the Universe (1688) is a monumental work full of ancient wisdom. The author is concerned about some atheistic doctrines that gain strength in his days. And one of the most important points in his fight against them is ?the fatal necessity of all actions and events? that serves the design of Atheism. In the first paragraphs of The True Intellectual System, Cudworth makes a classification of fatalisms and makes use of Plotinus? Ennead 3.1, which he calls De Fato, in order to support his statements. This paper will explore the uses that Cudworth makes of Plotinus concerning the topic of Fate and the historiographical meaning of that.