Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Original Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- INTRODUCTION -- VOLTAIRE -- HUME -- ROBERTSON -- GIBBON -- INDEX.

A brilliant attempt to show how the Transcendental Deduction can be construed as a strict logical deduction. Using Kemp Smith's "pathwork" theory in a novel way, Wolff organizes his commentary around four versions of the main argument which reflect Kant's increasing philosophic subtlety. The heart of the commentary is an analysis of synthesis as a rule-directed mental activity. Throughout there is a judicious balance of historical, textual and philosophic analysis, making this a truly rich commentary.--R. J. B.

A new translation which is eminently readable and extremely accurate. Much of the awkwardness and unnecessary obscurity of the Ogden translation has been eliminated. The comprehensive index which combines both English and German expressions is designed to meet the special problems involved in understanding the Tractatus. Unfortunately Russell's introduction to the 1922 edition is reproduced without any indication of the controversy concerning Russell's interpretation, or subsequent interpretations of the Tractatus.--R. J. B.

During the past decade some of the most provocative and controversial disputes concerning the philosophy and history of science have centered about the work of Thomas Kuhn and Sir Karl Popper. One, therefore, looks with anticipation to this volume which is based on a symposium held in July, 1965 where Kuhn, Popper and several of Popper's former students met for an intellectual confrontation. But the result is depressing. The volume is an editorial mess. Two of the main scheduled speakers never (...) appeared at the symposium, although papers by them are published here. Some of the remarks published here seem to be those spoken on the day the symposium was held while others, like Kuhn's answer to his critics, were written four years after the symposium. The result is a confusing and distracting editorial unevenness. While Kuhn's fair-minded opening paper raises some of the most important issues to be confronted, one quickly senses that the Popperians are not really very much interested in discussing Kuhn's work but rather in pushing their own pet theses. Kuhn puts this rather generously when he labels it an example of "talking-through-each-other." Most of the Popperians seem to be obsessed with Kuhn's understanding of normal science and neglect the much more interesting questions concerning his views on scientific revolutions, the sense in which science does and does not make progress, the criteria involved in adjudicating among competing theories. It is almost with relief that one reads Margaret Masterman's remark that it is a "crashingly obvious fact" that there is normal science. Ironically, Masterman's article which is basically sympathetic to Kuhn's work is the most illuminating and the most critical. More successfully than any of other contributors she shows the ambiguities involved in Kuhn's idea of a paradigm. One's wishes that the Popperians would take a good hard look at themselves and what they are doing as it is so disastrously illustrated here. Although ostensibly dedicated to serious critical rationalism, they seem more eager to score points than to understand what they are criticizing. Although they supposedly abhor clubiness, they are rapidly forming themselves into a scholastic circle where the object seems to be to show how brilliant or how stupid some other student of Popper is. Although they scorn the quest for origins, they are almost compulsive in attempting to show that anything worthwhile was previously said by Sir Karl. This book illustrates the faults of the Popperians at their worst and few of their virtues. There is much heat and wit, but little light.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Despite the enormous and growing interest in Marx and the availability of Marx's writing in paperback, it is scandalous how little care has been taken in producing careful texts and English translations of Marx's work. O'Malley's edition is an outstanding exception. It is carefully and intelligently edited. The result makes available an extremely interesting text of Marx. A number of scholars have already argued that in this early critique, one can discover some of the earliest formulations of distinctive Marxian themes. (...) Now the reader can judge for himself, for this is the first full English translation of Marx's Critique. But this Critique is not only extremely important for understanding Marx's intellectual development, it also helps to make Hegel's Philosophy of Right come alive. Marx's fundamental ambivalence toward Hegel is evidenced here. It is clear that Marx is still very much under Hegel's influence and we can see how deeply Hegel is shaping Marx's thought, but there is also a toughness and incisiveness in Marx's criticism of Hegel. O'Malley has provided a very extensive introduction which not only provides the necessary background for understanding this text but also explores the role of this work in the totality of Marx's development. Altogether this edition shows a care and judiciousness which is exceptional. It eminently serves the purpose of making an important text accessible.--R. J. B. (shrink)

A medley of sensible and informative papers ranging over Advaita Vedanta, the similarities of Eastern and Western philosophy, and social problems of contemporary India.--R. J. B.

Along with a line by line translation and interpretation of the fragments, are four essays: "Parmenides' Concept of Being," "Aletheia and Doxa," "The World of Appearance Described in the Doxa," and "Parmenides in the Ancient Philosophical Tradition." Parmenides did not understand the logical connection between time and process: undifferentiated Being is without process but, curiously enough, possesses temporal duration. The philosophical tradition wrongly interpreted the Doxa as Parmenides' cosmogony. In short, this important book is a splendid example of painstaking scholarship. (...) The footnotes and references to other critical studies of Parmenides are comprehensive.—D. J. B. (shrink)

There are many signs of a renewed and increasing interest in Hegel. And gradually this is spreading to philosophy students, both graduate and undergraduate. In part, this has been stimulated by the affinity students feel with some of the intellectual orientations that have emerged from, or in reaction to, Hegelianism. In part, it represents a search for a richer intellectual base from which one can explore the pressing issues of our time. Considering the foreignness of the Hegelian idiom from Anglo-Saxon (...) traditions, the problem remains of how to "get into" Hegel. This brief book is intended to serve as an introduction for the uninitiated and it may well serve to whet a student's appetite to study Hegel's own texts. Despite the claim to be an introduction to Hegel's Metaphysics, it is really an introduction to some central themes in Hegel. While its brevity is in some ways an advantage, I am dubious if a student will be able to get very much of a "concrete" idea of what Hegel is "up to." Considering Soll's purpose, he gives too much attention here to commenting on other interpreters of Hegel. For the novice, this will be confusing, and for the serious scholar of Hegel, Soll's almost exclusive concern with English language commentators will seem excessively provincial.--R. J. B. (shrink)

The first three volumes of the Minnesota Studies have become recent classics. They contain some of the most important and philosophically suggestive papers published during the fifties and early sixties. Some of the discussions which are the basis of volume IV took place in 1966 and a number of the papers here seem "dated"--at least to the extent that discussion of the relevant issues has been superseded by publication in other places. There is still another tour de force by Paul (...) K. Feyerabend, who is becoming more strident and more anarchistic in his politics, epistemology, and philosophy of science. There is a brief paper by the late N. R. Hanson and a typically solid and balanced defense of the "standard conception" of scientific theories by Carl G. Hempel. Three papers by Paul E. Meehl are included which, as usual, excel in the care and clarity of argument--even though there seems to be little that is new here. And there is also an informed discussion of correspondence rules by a number of participants in a special conference dedicated to this subject. While the quality of the papers is high, this volume nevertheless lacks some of the excitement and novelty of the earlier volumes.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Intended as a comprehensive overview aimed more at the layman than the professional philosopher, the author thinks of functionalism as being in the pragmatic tradition. Nevertheless "functionalism is not pragmatism, because it attempts to eliminate crass relativism, establish a working teleology, and develop a metaphysics." Little attempt is made to explicate and justify the views expressed here.—R. J. B.

A translation of the seventh edition of Jasper's classic Allgemeine Psychopathologie, originally published in 1913. Though often repetitious, the book is packed with insights. It provides one of the best introductions to the main themes of Jasper's philosophy.--R. J. B.

This guide is intended to be a comprehensive survey of Dewey's work. It consists of ten essays by Dewey scholars surveying an area of Dewey's work. Each essay is followed by a checklist of articles and books. The topics include divisions such as Dewey's Psychology, Philosophy and Philosophic Method, Logic and Theory of Knowledge, Ethics, etc. Contributors include Schneider, Hahn, Kennedy, Rucker, Leys, among others. Despite the enormous amount of work that must have gone into producing this volume, its value (...) is questionable. One reason for this is that Dewey's thought does not lend itself into such convenient divisions--it is difficult to think of a standard "topic" that isn't intertwined with some other. The novice may be bewildered by the rapid surveys and checklists. And scholars of Dewey and American philosophy may detect other groupings which they consider more illuminating. Although one can appreciate the desire not to reproduce the type of bibliography prepared by M. H. Thomas, a complete annotated bibliography would have been a much more helpful guide than the present one. Nevertheless the present guide does help the novice and the scholar to see important connections among the more than thousand items that make up the Dewey corpus.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Whatever one thinks of Heidegger's philosophy, he is one of the most incisive philosophic commentators of our time. He is frequently at his best and is most lucid in his close examinations of other philosophers. The introduction to Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit has been overshadowed by the much more famous preface. In his paragraph-by-paragraph analysis, Heidegger reveals how much we learn from this introduction about Hegel's conception of knowledge, philosophy, and experience. At the same time that Heidegger illuminates Hegel's text, (...) he also reveals the direction of his own thought. The translation of Heidegger's essay is published together with Kenley Dove's felicitous new translation of Hegel's "Introduction."--R. J. B. (shrink)

"Hermeneutics" is a term that is slowly gaining familiarity in Anglo-Saxon countries. As is so frequently the case with movements in Continental philosophy, it has been the theologians who have first displayed a serious interest in hermeneutics. Both insofar as this study has far reaching ramifications for all disciplines concerned with the nature and art of interpretation, it is relevant to the concerns of the philosopher and the literary critic. Basically, Palmer's aim is to answer the question, "what is hermeneutics?" (...) and to present the reader with the origin and diversity of approaches in recent times. He does this admirably and the book will be helpful to anyone who wants to know what hermeneutics is all about. The book also includes a bibliography of many of the most important contributions relating to the study of hermeneutics. Palmer's own enthusiasm for the field is apparent. When he concludes with thirty theses on interpretation, it begins to look as if hermeneutics is so all-inclusive that it is difficult to see what differentiates it from other approaches to the nature of interpretation.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Although Marcuse has been lavishly praised and severely condemned, he has been almost totally neglected by academic philosophers. One would have thought that MacIntyre was the ideal philosopher to write an intelligent critique of Marcuse. MacIntyre's own interests in Freud, Marx, and social theory center about the issues that have preoccupied Marcuse. Despite the claim to present Marcuse's views and then to criticize them, MacIntyre has written a stinging polemic. Marcuse is charged with being mistaken in all his key positions. (...) He fails to understand Hegel, Marx, Freud. His account of the ills of contemporary technological society is misguided. His positive program is contemptuous and dangerous. He is guilty of furthering the corruption of our language. Typical of MacIntyre's prose is his final sentence, "The philosophy of the Young Hegelians, fragments of Marxism and revised chunks of Freud's metapsychology: out of these materials Marcuse has produced a theory that, like so many of its predecessors, invokes the great names of freedom and reason while betraying their substance at every important point." On the basis of MacIntyre's reading of Marcuse it is hard to imagine that he is anything more than a bungling idiot. There is plenty to criticize in Marcuse, but MacIntyre's polemic backfires. The best and most effective critique is based on understanding, but despite appearances there is little attempt here to take Marcuse seriously. This is a pity because both Marcuse's thought and MacIntyre's important criticisms tend to get lost in all this lively prose.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Miller has undertaken the difficult task of providing a new translation of Hegel's Wissenschaft der Logik sometimes referred to as Hegel's "Greater Logic." Part of the reason for the neglect of Hegel has been the unavailability of good translations. The "first generation" of Hegel translators heroically sought to create an English idiom for Hegel's terminology, but their results left much to be desired in accuracy, readability and intelligibility. Although this is a conservative translation which follows the conventions established by English (...) Hegelians nevertheless the translation is a big improvement over the earlier one by Johnston and Struthers. Since the passing of the English Hegelians, Hegel's Logic has been largely ignored by Anglo-Saxon philosophers. And for those who think that logic really is or ought to be what is found in contemporary symbolic or mathematical logic, Hegel's book will seem old-fashioned and outdated. Yet this book has exerted an enormous influence on both those who have seriously attacked it and those who have devotedly followed it--a group that includes Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger, and the English idealists. The publication of this massive translation not only has historical value for making Hegel's thought more accessible, but it is still a rich source for the philosopher interested in Thought and Being.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Kojève has been known as the most brilliant, profound, controversial, and influential commentator on Hegel in the twentieth century. "Commentator" is perhaps too neutral a word, for Kojève's lectures on Hegel have been a vehicle for articulating and defending a view of what philosophy and wisdom essentially are. Kojève's lectures on the Phenomenology of Spirit at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes from 1933-1939 were primarily responsible for the Hegelian influence on a number of major French intellectuals. The present translation which (...) consists of a selection from the collection of writings edited by Queneau, is certainly not an introduction in any ordinary sense of the term. But for those who have been caught by the power of Hegel's Phenomenology--and their number seems to be growing in the Anglo-Saxon world--an encounter with Kojève, who is clearly one of the most serious readers of Hegel, will prove immensely rewarding. It is a bit surprising that Allan Bloom whose own approach to scholarship places such a high priority on careful textual analysis has edited a rather chopped up version of the French text.--R. J. B. (shrink)

This book was originally written for the French series, Philosophes de tous les temps. It follows the format of this series with an introductory essay and series of brief selections from James. Although Reck states that he "sought to see James as the French see him," he does not limit himself to a single perspective but presents a judicious, balanced interpretation of James. There is little exploitation of the recent "discovery" of James by phenomenologically oriented philosophers. In his introductory essay, (...) Reck has attempted to be comprehensive. The essay succeeds admirably in presenting a fine introduction to James.—R. J. B. (shrink)

Considering the renewed interest in Marx and Marxism, this book is especially timely. For Marxism as an appealing political outlook frequently seems most alive for those countries that have suffered the effects of colonization. And for western Marxists, the crucial test of their views is to be found in their attitudes toward colonialism and neocolonialism. But paradoxically, in the search for a viable view of "underdeveloped" countries, most professed Marxists have built upon the teachings of Lenin rather Marx. Avineri has (...) compiled an excellent collection of Marx's writings on the non-European world, most of them written in English by Marx himself. Writings on China, India, Mexico, the Middle East, and North Africa are included. There is an excellent introduction outlining the problems that non-European societies posed for Marx's own studies of western history. One sees how unsentimental Marx really was and how consistent he was with his own deepest insights about the need for the full development of capitalism before a true socialism could be achieved. Just as the focus on the early writings of Marx has helped to correct the view of Marx inherited from "orthodox" communism, so this compilation of writings helps to place Marx's investigations of western nineteenth-century capitalism in proper perspective. Avineri, who is now one of the finest commentators on Marx, has again helped to save Marx from both his detractors and disciples.--R. J. B. (shrink)

A brilliant attempt to show how the Transcendental Deduction can be construed as a strict logical deduction. Using Kemp Smith's "pathwork" theory in a novel way, Wolff organizes his commentary around four versions of the main argument which reflect Kant's increasing philosophic subtlety. The heart of the commentary is an analysis of synthesis as a rule-directed mental activity. Throughout there is a judicious balance of historical, textual and philosophic analysis, making this a truly rich commentary.--R. J. B.

The book consists mainly of word lists which are intended to show that the process of vocabulary creation reveals psychological insights. The thesis proposed is that the "association of idea is effected through a dynamic, imaginative, essentially 'poetical' process."--R. J. B.

The letters included in this book are extremely valuable for gaining a further insight into Wittgenstein, especially during the period before and immediately after the writing and publishing of the Tractatus. They exhibit Wittgenstein's humanity, his literary and musical interests, his self-doubts and anxiety concerning the publication of the Tractatus. There are reflections on suicide and an important brief statement about the point of the Tractatus where Wittgenstein declares that "the book's point is an ethical one." The Memoir is uneven (...) and not always in clear focus, but it is helpful in shedding light on a little known aspect of Wittgenstein's life.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Using a dialogue form, Mac Iver portrays a series of discussions among an intelligent group of specialists. The topics discussed include the nature of life, creation, sex, sensitivity, as well as the responsibility of the modern scholar to confront fundamental problems that extend beyond his limited field of inquiry. Mac Iver does catch the spirit of an informal discussion among specialists, but one wishes that he might have included a philosopher to help order the discussion and to clear up conceptual (...) confusions.--R. J. B. (shrink)

While there has been a resurgence of interest in Kant's moral philosophy, most philosophic discussion centers about the Grunlegung and the Kritik der praktischen Vernunft. Consequently there has been a great deal of sterility concerning discussions of the application of the categorical imperative. In her careful commentary, Gregor has attempted to show us the role of Metaphysik der Sitten in Kant's moral philosophy as well as to illuminate Kant's discussion of perfect and imperfect duties. The study helps to correct the (...) lopsided image of Kant's moral philosophy as excessively formalistic and legalistic and shows us the importance of a teleological perspective for understanding the import of the categorical imperative.—R. J. B. (shrink)

These lectures, translated for the first time in English, provide the best English source for Feuerbach's mature position. The style of these lectures is informal and clear. Feuerbach escapes the excesses of polemic that are characteristic of many of his earlier works. Feuerbach no longer restricts himself to Christianity but extends his analysis to nature religions, arguing that all religions are grounded in man and nature. The projection theory of God, the claim that the foundation of religion is a feeling (...) of dependency, and the pointing toward an activist solution to the problem of religion, are themes that are clearly delineated here. He concludes by summarizing his task of transforming "friends of God into friends of man, believers into thinkers, devotees of prayer into devotees of work...." While the translation is excellent, the book lacks a badly needed introduction. There is no index.—R. J. B. (shrink)

A lively introduction to metaphysical problems, including the relation of mind and body, freedom and determinism, time and becoming, and God. Starting with common sense beliefs, Taylor uses a natural dialectic to show how metaphysical problems arise. The clarity and forcefulness of his discussions and arguments invite the reader to join issue.--R. J. B.

Has anything of value been contributed to aesthetic issues from a Marxist point of view? I suspect that most intelligent people asked this question might be inclined to answer no. If they hesitated, it might be because of some dim awareness that there has been a great deal of concern about aesthetic issues by European intellectuals influenced by Marxism. But this present bibliography which is limited to books and articles in English shows how extensive and diverse the literature has been. (...) Many items are included here which are not primarily concerned with aesthetic issues, but which are nevertheless relevant. And there are many items which are not Marxist in orientation but bear on Marxism. The annotations are helpful and the bibliography will be a great aid to anyone interested in exploring this dimension of Marxism. It is unfortunate that the bibliography is limited to work written or translated into English, for many of the best works have not been translated. However, the compiler promises a supplemental volume dealing with foreign material.--R. J. B. (shrink)

When the original version of this book appeared in 1953, MacIntyre was one of a very few Anglo-Saxon philosophers who exhibited any depth understanding of Marx and Marxism. The course of scholarship since that time both vindicates and supersedes many of the points that MacIntyre makes. He not only shows how Marx secularized the world view ingredient in Christianity, but how Marx moved from the critique of religion to the critique of philosophy. And he nicely sketches for us the move (...) from philosophy to practice. We now have many detailed studies that fill in the gaps of this movement, but MacIntyre's essay still excels as a brief overview. From a contemporary point of view, his final chapter is the most interesting and challenging. Too many thinkers sympathetic with Marx have lost themselves in Marx scholarship or in sloganizing. While MacIntyre sees Marx as bringing down to earth the metaphysical themes of alienation ingredient in Christianity, he also sees Marx as laying himself open to the very reification and false consciousness in his own theorizing that he so bitterly opposed in others. The only way of showing that it is possible to rescue Marxism from its own errors, is to carry out for our own times the sort of critique that Marx himself carried out for nineteenth-century liberal bourgeois society. The essay still stands as a helpful introduction both to Marx and to the problems posed for contemporaries who desire to take Marxism seriously.--R. J. B. (shrink)

A fine collection of articles on J. S. Mill. One outstanding virtue of this collection is that it doesn't restrict itself to the "standard" topics that are normally associated with Mill. In addition to articles dealing with Mill's logic and utilitarianism, there are articles dealing with Mill's theory of poetry, democracy, and authority. Also included are several selections that vividly portray the flavor and versatility of Mill. In his introduction, Schneewind makes a brief but forceful case for the need to (...) understand Mill in his many facets as a most eminent philosopher and Victorian man of letters.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Nine essays by leading American analytic philosophers. Frankena's article describes the recent changes of orientation in ethical inquiry and delineates the various positions advocated. Though there is little that is radically new in these essays, they are all of high quality. The essays are not representative of the variety of positions sketched by Frankena and the volume lacks any real unity. The price is outrageous and defeats the purpose of making these articles readily available.--R. J. B.

This book consists of five essays written at three different times, 1946, 1955, and 1964. Aron characterizes these essays as "a dialogue between existentialists and the Marxists as interpreted by a third speaker, namely the author of the book." Aron is primarily concerned with the existentialism of Sartre and Merleau-Ponty, especially their attempts to reconcile existentialism and Marxism. While Aron tries to present a fair statement of their philosophic positions and Marxism, he is deeply skeptical of a successful synthesis of (...) existentialism and Marxism. He is also critical of the French intellectuals' flirtation with communism as it is practiced in the Soviet Union. Aron writes as a friendly critic, for he has been shaped by the same intellectual trends that shaped Sartre and Merleau-Ponty. For those unacquainted with the debates about the nature and status of Marxism by French intellectuals, these essays will be helpful in setting the scene. One wishes, however, that Aron might have explored key tensions with greater depth and rigor.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Perhaps no other intellectual figure has received such widespread critical and scholarly examination in the past few decades as has Marx. While there has even been an outpouring of books and articles in English, many of these studies have been introductory and few reflect the careful detailed scholarship displayed by European scholars. In April, 1966, a group of some of the most distinguished Marx scholars from all over the world participated in a truly international symposium at Notre Dame. Although the (...) title is a misnomer because the papers range over much more than Marx and the Western world, the result is an impressive array of articles on many aspects of Marx's thought and influence. The most notable feature of this collection is the high seriousness of the discussions and the thorough scholarship they reflect. The cumulative effect exhibits the diversity, vitality, and depth of Marx's contribution to Western thought.—R. J. B. (shrink)

Includes the best and most complete English translation of Marx's controversial Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 by T. B. Bottomore. Fromm in his introductory essay argues that Marx's philosophy of man is to be found in these manuscripts; it is a "spiritual existentialism in secular language." Fromm skirts some difficult problems of Marxist interpretation, and the concept of man that is attributed to Marx resembles the sentimental socialism which Marx so bitterly attacked.--R. J. B.

Three lively lectures that range over a wide variety of ethical topics, including the science of ethics, the ways in which religious experience and secular ethics can complement each other, and the possibility of a universal moral community. Though the discussion is refreshing, there is too little opportunity to explore carefully some of the knotty issues that are raised. The lectures concern the "science of ethics," but there is hardly any clue given concerning the nature or possibility of such a (...) science.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Cavell is one of the most gifted and sensitive philosophers who has been influenced by Wittgenstein and Austin. He is no slavish disciple but an intelligent and perceptive interpreter of the contemporary sensibility. Six of the ten essays have already appeared in print and some have already become intellectual gems. In "The Availability of Wittgenstein's Later Philosophy," Cavell better than most has managed to capture and convey the spirit and the intensity of the later Wittgenstein. The title essay is the (...) most articulate defense of what ordinary language philosophy can be at its best. But Cavell is also an incisive commentator on Beckett and Kierkegaard. He illuminates a range of aesthetic issues. Cavell's forte is that of an essayist who manages to create in each of his essays a "form of life" within which one can participate and share his insight.--R. J. B. (shrink)

For those who have been impressed or perplexed by the phenomenon of Marcuse, this collection of essays helps us to understand and reconstruct his own intellectual development. Most of the essays were written in the years from 1934 to 1938 when Marcuse had emigrated to the United States, and they were originally published in German in the Zeitschrift fur Sozialforschung. The influence of Hegel and Marx are strong, and the revulsion with the betrayal of German existentialism is evident. The essay (...) "Philosophy and Critical Theory," helps to clarify the type of theoretical activity which Marcuse thinks of himself as practicing. "The Concept of Essence" is perhaps the clearest statement one will find in Marcuse of what he means by "essence" and how it is supposed to serve as a standard for negations. In "On Hedonism," we discover what Marcuse means by happiness and its relevance for critical theory. These early essays are much more philosophical than Marcuse's later writings and do lay bare both the strengths and weaknesses of his critical theory. An unpublished essay "Aggressiveness in Advanced Industrial Society" is included as well as Marcuse's review of Norman O. Brown's Love's Body. The forward presents Marcuse view of these essays from a contemporary perspective.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Ever since Plato's Republic, a persistent problem and dilemma in Western thought has been the relation of the love of wisdom and political power, especially the role that the intellectual does or ought to play in the world of action. This volume includes both theoretical studies and case studies of modern intellectuals. Most of the articles have been published before but several, including T. Parson's "'The Intellectual': A Social Role Category" and J. Netl's "Ideas, Intellectuals, and Structures of Dissent" were (...) written for this volume. Other contributors are Shils, Dahrendorf, Berlin, Bushnell, Samuels, Comte, Nisbet, and Rieff. The most eloquent and moving essay is Isaiah Berlin's sympathetic study of Moses Hess. Through the great diversity of approaches and issues discussed, a common theme emerges--the fragility of the role of the intellectual, who is frequently duped, sometimes subtly corrupted or persecuted, but who, on occasion can shape and humanize the vision of his fellowmen, even though he may appear as the "fool" to his contemporaries. One striking lack here is a "case study" of any representative intellectual of the "New Left," but the total effect of this intelligently chosen collection is to provide us with a needed perspective for assessing the possibilities and dangers open to intellectuals in our time.--R. J. B. (shrink)

It is all too rare that a scholar trained in the history of art turns his critical attention to the issues of the nature of aesthetic value and the criteria of excellence in works of art. But these issues are Rosenberg's primary concern. His method is novel for he begins by discussing the importance of tradition for value judgment. Chapters are dedicated to five important critics from the sixteenth century to the present. In each chapter Rosenberg attempts to extract the (...) distinctive features of art that have been prominent in the criticism of each of these thinkers. The second part of the book, "Quality Judgment Today," applies the principles that Rosenberg has extracted to the evaluation of master drawings from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. While aestheticians may raise doubts about the subtlety of Rosenberg's philosophic distinctions, one is impressed by his attempt to do what philosophers sometimes only talk about, viz., to show how we can rationally evaluate and compare works of art. There are 168 plates and the book is beautifully executed in the style of the Bollingen series of the Mellon lectures.—R. J. B. (shrink)

Recently, work in cybernetics, information theory, computers, artificial intelligence, etc. has become of increasing interest to philosophers. This collection of papers delivered to the Philosophic Institute for Artificial Intelligence at Notre Dame surveys some of the main areas of this field and raises a number of important philosophic issues concerning this work. The introduction by the editors and the selected bibliography are extremely helpful for getting acquainted with the variety of approaches and problems that have been in the foreground of (...) discussion. Especially interesting is the attempt in most of the papers to relate recent research to traditional philosophic issues concerning the nature and capacities of man.--R. J. B. (shrink)

During the past few years, Smart has published a series of provocative articles in which he has argued for a "tough-minded" scientific materialism. In this book, which makes use of the articles and combines them with new material, he boldly defends the possibility of a synthetic philosophy which attempts to think clearly and comprehensively about the nature of the universe and the principles of conduct. Starting with a critique of phenomenalism, he argues that the physicist's picture of the world is (...) truer that of the language of ordinary common sense. Continuing with a discussion of biology, secondary qualities, and consciousness, he stoutly maintains that man can be understood as a physical mechanism in a non-anthropocentric space-time world. He concludes with some brief remarks about how materialism is compatible with a humane and beneficent ethic. Reflecting extensive command of recent philosophic and scientific literature, Smart's arguments are clear, sustained and stimulating.—R. J. B. (shrink)

This essay is a vigorous and carefully argued defense of Direct Realism which holds that "the immediate object of awareness is never anything but a physical existent which exists independently of the awareness of it." Drawing on both historical and contemporary positions, the book is filled with lucid expositions and tough-minded arguments. Armstrong concludes that we have immediate, although not incorrigible, knowledge of physical objects. --R. J. B.

A comparison of the views of Peirce and Wittgenstein on logic and mathematics with special reference to negation, relations, and computation. No attempt is made to distinguish carefully the different stages in the development of either philosopher.--R J. B.

In this era of endless anthologies dedicated to the philosophy of science, Morgenbesser has missed a golden opportunity to put together a first rate collection. Gathered under one cover are sixteen of the best and most original philosophers of science treating a great variety of topics, yet the result is disappointing. For those who know something about the issues examined, there is little here that is new, and many of the views developed have been stated in greater detail and with (...) greater sophistication in other easily available places. For those ignorant of what is going on in the philosophy of science, they can sample something of the variety of issues discussed and positions taken, but they will probably be bewildered about the significance of the issues and how they interconnect. A few footnotes to contemporary discussions and a selected bibliography would have helped to make this a much more useful book. The papers are based on broadcasts for the Voice of America.—R. J. B. (shrink)

The editorial board of the co-operative Research on Dewey Publications Project at Southern Illinois University should be cheered for this magnificent edition of Dewey's Psychology. Anyone who has attempted to do serious scholarly work on Dewey knows the present chaos existing among his published works. We have needed a careful edition of Dewey's collected works. But the project at Southern Illinois is attempting to do much more—to provide definitive critical editions of Dewey's works. Without being pedantic, the editorial board has (...) made an intelligent use of the best modern scholarly techniques. The result is an invaluable edition of the Psychology for the scholar, and a very readable text for the curious. It is now possible to locate at a glance the various works that Dewey cites in his study, and to discover the ways in which Dewey altered his text in the course of its twenty-six printings. As for the Psychology itself—Dewey's first book—one is struck again by its oldness and newness. It is at once bound by the tradition of psychology textbooks of the time and breaks out of these bounds with fresh ideas that were destined to form the basis for Dewey's mature philosophic outlook. The care, intelligence, and taste used in designing this definitive edition ought to serve as a model for modern editions of philosophical texts.—R. J. B. (shrink)

Chisholm's lucid and subtle introduction enables one to understand a wide diversity of selections as well as the import of contemporary realism. Several selections from Brentano, Meinong and Husserl are translated for the first time. The bibliography is the best and most complete we have in English.--R. J. B.