Journal of the History of Philosophy

132 JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY 24:1 JANUARY 1986 be a further stage in idealism rests not upon the insertion of existence into the opening categories of his final philosophy, but upon the insight into structures which are present in the history of religion and the projection of that framework back into the absolute. White (disagreeing with both Schulz and Furhmans!) errs in not seeing that Schelling's final system, unlike Hegel's, is not so much eschatological as Plotinian and Origenist: absolute reality is freely unfolding itself in consciousness and in history . Such a focus on the absolute's becoming can only question claims to being empirical and real. White's book has begun in English a dialogue which has many facets (he has limited himself to transcendental foundations), for the volume touches upon a major controversy in the history of modern philosophy and upon the sources of recent philosophies of existence and praxis. THOMAS F. O']V~EARA University of Notre Dame Writings of Charles S. Peirce: A Chronological Edition, Volume 2, ~867-z87L Max H. Fisch, General Editor. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984. Pp. xlviii + 649. $35.oo. The large, costly project of bringing out a chronological edition of selected writings of Charles S. Peirce in some so volumes seems now to have shifted into high gear. Less than two years after the appearance of Volume x, the second Volume has been published.' It consists of writings that belong to a very creative period in his life between the ages of 28 and 32. In this period he first formulated most of the ideas that were characteristic of his philosophical thought. Hence the study of the major papers that belong to this period is mandatory for every Peirce scholar. Volume 9 contains 48 items altogether, of which 23 were published by Peirce shortly after being written. The remaining 25 are here reproduced for the first time from his manuscripts. In the smaller group are about a dozen major articles in learned journals, proceedings, and reviews, plus slighter things such as obituaries, letters, and one Coast Survey Report. The items in the larger group cover a wide field, but they vary appreciably in content from significant to insignificant, t~lone of them I think, requires basic changes to be made in the overall view of Peirce's thought derived from what has long been in print. The selections for this volume, according to the Preface, have been determined by certain aims and editorial policies applicable to the whole edition. There are four general aims and three policies. Put briefly, the aims are: (1) to facilitate the study of the development of Peirce's thought; (~) to make it as easy as possible to ascertain how much coherence and unity the thought has at each stage; (3) to include as much previously unpublished material as feasible; and (4) to give prominence to details of ' A reviewof volume 1 was published in the October 1984issue of theJournaloftheHisto,7 ofPhilosophy(22:4):494-97.--ED. BOOK REVIEWS 133 his theses that logic properly understood in its general sense is only another name for semiotic. The three policies appertain to the kinds of selections to he included in each volume. They are stated to be: (5) to give preference to Peirce's more philosophical writings in logic and metaphysics; (6) to include relatively few selections from his technical, mathematical, and historical writings; and (7) to choose from the latter items those that arc most relevant to the writings mentioned in (5). These procedural guidelines appear to make clear that the selections in this volume are intended primarily for the use of philosophers. Now what they need for their work are reasonably accurate and reliable texts. But they scarcely need texts that are refined and perfected to the degree that specialists in textual criticism seek to achieve. There may, then, be a certain difficulty which arises from diverse concerns , if both groups are involved in editorial duties for a single edition. The present volume offers a sensible arrangement for removing most difficulties by simply assembling all or most of the editorial machinery in the concluding pages. Well over ~oo pages are devoted...