In his "metalogicon" (written in 1159), John of salisbury summarizes nine current views of the problem of universals and then proposes his own solution. His solution is to distinguish between the exact nature of things, Knowledge of which provides scientific certainty, And the nature which men must infer from various sensibly manifested effects. Genera and species represent such inferred natures. They are not mental representations of the substantial likeness of things (aristotle's view), But "useful fictions" devised by man to facilitate (...) his investigation of sensible reality. (shrink)
In _Philosophers as Educators_ Brian Patrick Hendley argues that philosophers of education should reject their preoccupation with defining terms and analyzing concepts and embrace the philosophical task of constructing general theories of education. Hendley discusses in detail the educational philosophies of John Dewey, Bertrand Russell, and Alfred North Whitehead. He sees in these men excellent role models that contemporary philosophers might well follow. Hendley believes that, like these mentors, philosophers should take a more active, practical role in education. Dewey and (...) Russell ran their own schools, and Whitehead served as a university administrator and as a member of many committees created to study education. (shrink)
Hendley argues that philosophers of education should reject their preoccupation of the past 25_ _years with defining terms and analyzing concepts and once again embrace the philosophical task of constructing general theories of education. Exemplars of that tradition are John Dewey, Bertrand Russell, and Alfred North Whitehead, who formulated theories of education that were tested. Dewey and Russell ran their own schools, and Whitehead served as a university administrator and as a member of many committees created to study education. After (...) providing a general introduction to the present state of educational philosophy, Hendley discusses in detail the educational philosophies of Dewey, Russell, and Whitehead. He sees in these men excellent role models that contemporary philosophers might well follow. Hendley believes that like these mentors, philosophers should take a more active, practical role in education. (shrink)
Consisting of nineteen essays plus an epilogue and a postscript, and subtitled "Form, Arts, Gadgets, and Hemlock," this book is a collection of published articles and public lectures which encapsulate Brumbaugh's ongoing interest in Platonic themes. The postscript contains his final lecture on the history of ancient philosophy, delivered after an outstanding teaching career of more than forty-five years. This reviewer can personally attest to the observation made by Robert Neville in his foreword of the lasting impact that Brumbaugh as (...) a lecturer has had on the subsequent careers of his teaching assistants. He is the only professor I've ever known whose concluding course lectures invariably received a well-deserved standing ovation. (shrink)
