This work is based on about eighty detailed articles on various ethical theories and ten anthropological accounts of the practice of morals among particular peoples, to which are added a detailed index of cross-references. The articles have been contributed by over fifty scholars who are associated with American Universities, and who apparently aimed at explaining their subjects to educated people who may not have had special training in Ethics. They have succeeded in providing a very useful account of prominent moral (...) theories in history. It is disappointing, however, that the volume was not organized in such a fashion as to give some account of figures which one would have expected to find in a work of this kind—to mention but a few, one looks in vain for more than a passing mention of Pascal, Descartes and Rousseau; and Malebranche, Newman, Blondel, Bergson are not even named. In a reference-book of this kind it might have been better to leave room for more articles on moral theories by omitting the necessarily scanty treatment of the practice of morals among certain peoples, and above all by giving only the page-number in the case of cross-references instead of the longer and less accurate indication by means of the titles of articles. (shrink)

There is much of interest to scholastics in these lectures which present some of the results of research into the history of Mohammedan thought. They help to give the background to the teaching of men like Avicenna, whose views on philosophy in relation to theology were introduced into important scholastic debates which have continued right down to our own day. The special value of Professor Arberry’s book is mainly in the quotation of apposite texts to illustrate the history which is (...) already well known in outline. (shrink)

This is an unusual text-book in logic. Its scope is wider than most books of its kind, though many points are omitted owing to lack of space in a one-semester course. Dr. Smith aimed at giving more than a dry exposition of Aristotelian formal logic. About a third of the volume is devoted to induction, the division and order of the sciences, the experimental method, scientific theories, and an introduction to logistics. From beginning to end a new interest is given (...) to the matters treated of, by the introduction of numerous and varied examples in the form of exact and sometimes extensive quotations from great writers and thinkers. This is a valuable help for anybody who wants to present logic as a subject which really contributes to the general education of those who, for one reason or another, are led to take courses in it. The examples given serve admirably to show how logic is applied to normal reading and thinking—a point which is hardly conveyed by the continual use of artificially constructed arguments which are so schematic as to be unreal. The Elements of Logic might perhaps be considered a suitable text-book for students who take Logic in conjunction with an Arts or Science course; it could certainly be recommended as profitable extra reading for such people. (shrink)

Dr. Kohn philosophizes on Obligation, the Good, Moral Freedom, Moral World Order, Retribution and the Faith in Immortality, Morality and Religion. Many of his views appear to be offered as insights or convictions of his own, rather than as conclusions from reasonings which we could criticize step by step. Besides, he does not make any clear distinction between truths attainable by the positive sciences, by other forms of reasoning, and by supernatural revelation. So, this presentation of the philosophical grounds for (...) morality lacks clarity and cogency. However, the lectures on which the work is based were given at the University of Judaism, and they are interesting as an example of speculation which is continually inspired and aided by allusion to the Bible and to rabbinic literature, while earnestly considering the contributions and demands of modern science. (shrink)