Hume Studies

Reprinted from the Bulletin of the Hume Society, Volume XXVII, Number 2: John W. Davis (1921-1998) In Memoriam It is with deep sadness that we note the passing of John Whitney Davis on July 12, 1998, at age 77. He was the dearly beloved husband, for 44 years, of Rae Davis and the proud father of son Whitney of Chicago and daughter Martha of Toronto, and their partners Brent Adams and Scott Whittington. Jack was born February 11th, 1921 in Framingham, Massachussetts. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University. During World War II, he served four and a half years in the U.S. Army Air Force as a navigator and in the Air Transport Command. After the war, he returned to Boston University for graduate work, receiving his Ph.D. in 1957. Jack also taught for 8 years at Emerson College in Boston, until he moved to the University of Western Ontario, where he taught until his retirement in 1986. In 1987, the Davises moved to Toronto, at which point Jack taught on a part-time basis for several years at York University. Jack published significant scholarly articles in the history of philosophy on Berkeley, Hume, Leibniz, and Empiricism, and was editor or co-editor of several volumes of philosophical studies. In 1975, Jack founded Hume Studies, and served as the editor of this important scholarly journal for 15 years. In 1992, a special issue of Hume Studies was dedicated to John Davis for his contribution to Philosophy. I first met Jack in 1976 at the Hume Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was assigned to serve as chair of the session in which I was presenting my paper. After the session, he suggested that my wife, Barbara, and I join him that evening for dinner, and thus began a friendship that lasted through the years. Jack could talk intelligently and at length on any topic, and Barbara and I often commented on how well-read and well-spoken he was. Jack was also extremely street-wise and offered invaluable advice on any number of practical concerns. Jack will likely best be remembered as the founder and editor of Hume Studies. He cared very much about the quality of scholarship and often told me that his aim was to place Hume Studies among the best scholarly journals in the world. Hume Studies continues to flourish to the present day, and this Volume XXIV, Number 1, April 1998 satisfies one of Jack's enduring goals—to provide a journal where the best of Hume scholarship can be presented by scholars from all over the world. We who have devoted ourselves to Hume scholarship are forever indebted to Jack Davis for bringing Hume Studies into existence for us, and for those who will come after us. Although Jack Davis was influential as a scholar and editor, Barbara and I were always struck by his humanity and concern for others. Jack cared deeply about his family, about his students, about his colleagues and friends, about the Arts, and about world affairs. We will miss him very much. ■Stanley Tweyman IN MEMORIAM The editors note with regret the untimely death on 27 August 1998 of their friend, Margaret Dauler Wilson (19391988 ). The Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University, Margaret Wilson was a noted historian of early modern philosophy and a valued member of the Hume Society. Her contribution to the XXIV International Hume Conference, held in Monterey in the summer of 1997, is printed in this issue. Hume Studies ...