John Daniel Morell (18 June 1816 – 1 April 1891) was a British
educationalist and Congregational minister.
Life
Morell was born at
Little Baddow,
Essex, where his father was minister of the Congregational church (1799–1852). He went to
Homerton College in 1833, where he studied theology under
John Pye Smith. He then entered the
University of Glasgow, where he took the M.A. degree in 1841. Subsequently he studied philosophy and theology under
Fichte at
Bonn, and returned to England to undertake the pastorate of the Congregational church at
Gosport
Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite t ...
in 1842.
In 1845, Morell gave up the ministry in favour of philosophy. In 1848 he made his name by his ''Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe in the Nineteenth Century''. It brought him to the notice of
Lord Lansdowne, who made him an inspector of schools. From 1848 till 1876 he was active in that career.
Works
Morell's ''Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe in the Nineteenth Century'' was his major work. He showed a partiality for the "eclectic philosophy" of
Victor Cousin, and pointed out the
Scottish Enlightenment
The Scottish Enlightenment ( sco, Scots Enlichtenment, gd, Soillseachadh na h-Alba) was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century ...
as a precursor. Rudolf Metz argued that Morell's thought itself was based on Scottish philosophy.
He published educational works, including:
*''The Philosophy of Religion'' (1849)
*''The Analysis of Sentences'' (1852)
*''Elements of Psychology'' (1853)
*''The Essentials of English Grammar and Analysis'' (1855)
*''Handbook of Logic'' (1855)
*''Grammar of the English Language'' (1857)
*''The Philosophical Tendencies of the Age'' (1848), four lectures
*''The Philosophy of Religion'' (1849)
*''Fichte's Contributions to Moral Philosophy'' (1860)
*''Philosophical Fragments'' (1878)
*''An Introduction to Mental Philosophy on the Inductive Method'' (1884)
*''Manual of History of Philosophy with numerous examination papers in mental science which have been set in the London University'' (1884).
References
;Attribution
*
External links
*
James Martineau''History of Modern Philosophy''– A review of Morell's ''An historical and critical review of the speculative philosophy of Europe in the nineteenth century'', 1883
Texts on Hathi Trust by or about MorellBy or about Morell from Online Books
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morell, John Daniel
1816 births
1891 deaths
University of Bonn alumni
Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge