Jonathan Bennett, the preparer of these texts, was born in New Zealand in 1930, and educated there and at Oxford University. He holds the Litt. D. degree from the University of Cambridge.
His teaching career was mainly spent at the University of Cambridge (1956-68), Simon Fraser University (1968-70), the University of British Columbia (1970-79), and Syracuse University (1979-97).
- Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, 1973-4.
- Tanner Lecturer, Brasenose College, Oxford University, 1980.
- Fellow (since 1985) of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- President of the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association, 1987-8.
- Fellow (since 1991) of the British Academy.
- John Locke Lecturer, Oxford University, 1992.
- Author of five books on early modern philosophy and five other books.
- Joint editor and translator of one early modern text.
- Author of more than thirty articles on early modern philosophy, and over fifty other articles.
Jonathan Bennett and his wife Gillian, wanting to be near their children and grandchildren, settled after retirement in 1997 on Bowen Island, British Columbia. Gillian died by her own hand in August 2014; there is an account of her reasons here. Jonathan continued, at a slower rate, preparing more of these early modern philosophy texts until March 2024.
Jonathan died on March 31, 2024, through Canada’s MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) program.