Mourant has provided a carefully edited, topically organized anthology. The introductions are clearly written. One still waits, however, for an Augustinian anthology which reveals, rather than conceals Augustine's development.—R. J. W.

The product of the seventh symposium of New York University's Institute of Philosophy, this volume centers on three topics: grounds for judgment of artistic excellence, interpretation of meaning in art criticism, and art and reality. Each of the three sections features a lead paper, followed by a series of comments. Issues raised by the main papers are quite thoroughly explored, but sometimes one wishes that provocative suggestions made in commentary were taken up by other participants.—R. J. W.

This volume is based on a sharp distinction between the history of philosophy and the history of ideas. Its essays on the major philosophers of past and present make little attempt to trace historical connections, but rather concentrate on exposition and criticism. In general the individual authors are experts on the philosophers they discuss, and the level of the exposition is high. Most of the contributors are British, and practitioners of the method of linguistic analysis. This gives the volume a (...) rather tendentious tone.—R. J. W. (shrink)

For many years scholars have paid lip service to the "dramatic" or "mimetic" character of Plato's dialogues, but too few have taken this character seriously. Klein does, making it the basis of his exposition. He convincingly demonstrates that the dramatic action and the topic discussed are tightly interwoven and must be taken together to understand the Meno. In his introduction he distinguishes three kinds of mimesis: ethological, doxological, and mythological. The Meno is interpreted as primarily ethological. But one can ask (...) whether the author has done justice to the doxological element in the dialogue. He places considerable emphasis on the character of the "historical" Meno and does not seem to consider seriously the possibility that Meno's responses to Socrates show that he is learning something about the nature of ἀρετή. To suggest a possible criticism is in no way to take issue with the major thesis of this thorough and imaginative study.—R. J. W. (shrink)

A well-written introductory and historical survey of the dialogue between Christianity and philosophy, with primary emphasis on the early Fathers, Augustine and Aquinas. Although the preface suggests that the dialogue is a continuing one, many of the essays treat it as ending with Aquinas. One wishes that more account had been taken of modern criticism of the early theological development and of modern Biblical theology. The last two chapters do this and are helped by it.—R. J. W.

By restricting the subject matter of this anthology to creativity, the editor has succeeded in assembling a good and useful book. Essays by philosophers are combined with some by artists. The result is a fairly clear statement of the issues, and of a number of differing, though related, solutions.--R. J. W.

This seventh John Dewey Lecture brings together the existentialist concern for "the meaning of life" with the analytical interest in precision in linguistic meanings. The treatment is provocative, though schematic. A brief analysis of "the meaning of life" is given, and then applied to education with considerable insight.—R. J. W.

A lively and sympathetic critique of the ecumenical movement, emphasizing that unity is a Christian goal only as it contributes to the Church's ability to fulfill its mission. There is a good discussion of the significance of Roman Catholic and Orthodox participation in what was originally a Protestant movement. Marty's thesis is that enough unity has been attained now to get on with the mission.--R. J. W.

Those who find Buber's mature works, especially I and Thou, difficult will benefit from this early book. In it one can see Buber struggling with the same problems in a way which focuses them more clearly than in later works, even if the solution is less satisfactory. The translation is lucid, and the introduction is a substantial essay which provides an excellent entrée to Buber's thought, as well as to this book.—R. J. W.

The author of Plato's Use of Fallacy has provided a felicitous new translation of the Euthydemus. Notes are supplied to explain arguments which depend on peculiarities of Greek. The introduction points out, but deliberately avoids settling, questions raised by the dialogue, allowing Plato to speak for himself.—R. J. W.

Lest one be misled by the title, this book is not a study of the social responsibilities of scientists. It is a careful, provocative argument that the formal structures of scientific theory and ethical theory are analogous. The most interesting and far-reaching analogy developed by Dr. Margenau is between the fundamental postulates of theoretical science and the primary values of ethics. The author argues that primary values cannot be derived from something else, but must be postulated. He further sees an (...) empirical relationship between these values and ethical imperatives, which provides the key to the possibility of validating ethical theories.—R. J. W. (shrink)

A collection of essays attempting to show the adequacy of Christianity as a total world-view. The essays are more meditative than reflective, more confessional than critical.--R. J. W.

An anthology of essays by Aristotle, Mill, Carroll, Dewey, Russell, Veatch and Ryle, with a brief background statement on each author. Most of the essays are concerned with the relationship of logic to philosophy.--R. J. W.

The authors have attempted a sustained exploration of the cluster of problems involved in the relationship between Christian faith and intellectual integrity. They alternate brief essays, each picking up where the other left off. The latter sections tend to become somewhat technical for a book intended for use by undergraduate students, but there is some fruitful philosophical encounter which could make this book useful in courses in the philosophy of religion.--R. J. W.

By studying church-school lesson materials of four Protestant denominations, the author explores the relationship between religious faith and prejudice. The book is divided into a summary and interpretation of the study and a more technical discussion of the methods of the study. One interesting result of the study is a qualification and partial denial of the thesis of the authors of The Authoritarian Personality, that religious faith and ethnic and religious bigotry are interrelated.--R. J. W.

The author attempts to show that Plato continued to hold his theory of Forms in his later period by arguing that analysis of the late dialogues reveals their assumed existence. The objects of knowledge considered in the later dialogues have the basic traits attributed to the Forms in the middle and early dialogues. The Forms are not known by "intuition" or "acquaintance," but as that which is required for λόγος. The result of this approach is a kind of Kantian interpretation (...) of Plato—that the Forms are definitive of our experience of things, not of the things themselves.—R. J. W. (shrink)

The first of a series of volumes containing Albright's shorter writings, some never before published, and the rest revised. In this volume Albright develops his philosophy of history more explicitly than elsewhere, elaborating his distinction between proto-logical, empirico-logical and logical levels of thought. He is very critical of philosophical system-building, especially of the idealistic type, and he sharply contrasts post-Kantian developments in epistemology with what he regards to be the correct epistemology of history. In addition to these broad considerations, there (...) are more technical discussions of Near Eastern religions, review articles of philosophical historians, and an autobiographical sketch. This volume reflects the great range and quality of scholarship which have made its author one of America's most famous scholars.—R. J. W. (shrink)

The author maintains that for each of these religions, the present tendency toward a global culture requires: 1) a return to fundamental themes, distinguishing these from cultural accretions, and 2) the exploration of the extent to which these four religions share themes, e.g., the idea of the revelation of the Divine in all of human history. Unfortunately, this book does not contribute much to this project. The separate discussions of each religion do not give enough of the content of the (...) thought of each to make clear its fundamental themes. Redundancies are frequent, and there is a tendency to substitute a list of theologians for summaries of their thought.--R. J. W. (shrink)

Selections from the writings of thirty-seven philosophers are included in this wide-ranging anthology. Introductory comment by the editors is held to a minimum, and bibliographies of readily available paperback books are provided at the end of each chapter. Where the editors have not printed complete works, they have synthesized excerpts very carefully.—R. J. W.

Intended to complement the reading of Hume's own works in a philosophy course, this is a collection of recent journal articles on Hume's thought and relevant philosophical problems. Included are essays by Flew, Price, Strawson, Broad, Gasking, Penelhum, and Popper. This book should prove useful in making readily available discussions relating Hume's philosophy to contemporary problems.—R. J. W.

Mourant has provided a carefully edited, topically organized anthology. The introductions are clearly written. One still waits, however, for an Augustinian anthology which reveals, rather than conceals Augustine's development.—R. J. W.

Eliot wrote this book as his Ph.D. dissertation in 1916, and has allowed it to be published "as a curiosity of biographical interest." It is not difficult to move from his insistence in the thesis on the continuity of ideality and reality, of word and object, to his poetry and criticism. Precisely because of this insistence, Eliot's thesis is of more than merely biographical interest. As a work in philosophy it has a strikingly contemporary ring. E.g., "Without words, no objects". (...) Eliot was fundamentally sympathetic to Bradley's thought, but he was also open to the criticisms of Meinong and Russell, both of whom are discussed at length. The result is a kind of via media between idealism and realism, a very contemporary concern. Two 1916 essays on Leibniz are appended.—R. J. W. (shrink)

The editor attempts to give unity to this anthology by a humanistic orientation, i.e., by labeling the main sections "Man and Philosophy," "Man and Nature," "Man and His Fellow Men," etc. Although this is largely a terminological device, it does have the result that the book does not try to cover the entire philosophical map. The essays are chosen to represent types of thought, and a number of philosophers not often represented in such anthologies are included.—R. J. W.

A survey of the history of the ideal of a balance between man and nature in America, this book outlines the development of the conservation movement and summarizes the thinking of such men as Thoreau. One misses a critical discussion of the men and ideas opposed by the conservationists, e.g., Carnegie. The discussion of contemporary problems, the population-explosion and the arms race, is provocative but less careful and well-documented than the rest of the book.—R. J. W.

An examination of secular attempts—literary, psychiatric, and philosophical—to come to terms with death. The author assumes that for most moderns, apparently including himself, religious solutions are not viable alternatives. His knowledge of Western literature on the subject is vast, and he provides extensive bibliography and notes. Critical analysis is often schematic, however. There is also an inclination to substitute psychoanalysis of an author for argument against his theories. Ironically, the primary impressions left by this book are, first, the inadequacy of (...) most secular views, and second, the proximity of the author's conclusion to that of many theologians, a relationship of which he seems unaware.—R. J. W. (shrink)

A Thomistic analysis of human nature which attempts to show how modern discoveries in physiology and physiological psychology are consistent with St. Thomas' teachings. The author indicates in the preface that he has written this book to show that modern forms of empiricism and materialism are not logical consequences of modern science. Unfortunately, the text itself ignores the challenge of recent trends in philosophy rather than engaging them in critical encounter.—R. J. W.

A collection of discussions of Descartes' philosophy, ranging from Gassendi to Ryle. Since it brings together a considerable amount of relevant material, it may prove useful as a pedagogical supplement to the Meditations.—R. J. W.

A readable new translation of commentaries of interest to Biblical exegetes as well as Calvin scholars. Calvin's own doctrine is often more clearly stated here than in the Institutes, and in spite of his polemical situation, much of the commentary is fresh and interesting.—R. J. W.

In 1951 these editors began publication of a monumental critical edition of Plotinus' works. Now Oxford is making available a slightly revised editio minor in its series of classical texts. The textual revision is accompanied by a long list of variants. Thus this text, which includes Porphyry's life of Plotinus and Enneads I-III, supersedes the earlier editio major. The critical apparatus is considerably reduced, but should prove adequate to all but serious textual scholars. This edition will probably remain the standard (...) Plotinus text for many years.—R. J. W. (shrink)

This careful and thorough study should lay to rest the charge that Plato allowed the individual no good of his own, but subordinated him entirely to the state. Virtue is within the reach of every man, not just the philosopher. Hall argues that the early Socratic dialogues show a progressive rejection of utilitarianism, and that Plato consistently maintained the position that virtue is valuable in itself. He persuasively draws on the distinction between knowledge and true opinion to show that there (...) is a mutual dependence between justice in the state and in the individual. Finally he discusses the differences between Plato's rather restricted individualism and that of modern democratic theory.—R. J. W. (shrink)

These volumes contain a selection of Morgenthau's articles, speeches, etc., written over the past two decades. Some of the material has been re-written, either to bring it up to date or to fit it better into the plan of this work. Morgenthau has not simply collected some old essays; he has coherently combined essays on political philosophy with comment on concrete political issues in which the practical consequences of his theory are spelled out. His version of political realism is clearly (...) stated and defended, especially in the opening essays of the first and third volumes, and his discussions of specific problems speak relevantly to contemporary political issues.--R. J. W. (shrink)

Jowett's translation of the Meno is here accompanied by a number of recent critical articles, of which the most interesting is R. M. Hare's "Philosophical Discoveries."—R. J. W.

A wide-ranging anthology intended for introductory courses in philosophy. This book is arranged by topics, which include the nature of philosophy, ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, social philosophy, aesthetics and the philosophy of science. At least one contemporary philosopher is represented within almost every category. The readings are brief, and are chosen more to bring specific problems into focus than to be representative of their authors.—R. J. W.

The Republic is here treated as an introduction to philosophy. The authors systematically summarize and criticize the various topics and arguments Plato used. No line-by-line scholarly commentary is attempted; rather the emphasis is on the philosophical importance and truth of Plato's arguments. Unfortunately the result of this approach is that the Republic becomes an introduction to the British brand of philosophical analysis, rather than to Plato's philosophy. Literary form and dramatic situation are virtually ignored, and with them Plato's conception of (...) philosophy as shared inquiry. The most sympathetic chapter is the one in which analysis is subordinated to scholarship.—R. J. W. (shrink)

Although the author closes this book with Whitehead's famous comment that European philosophy is "a series of footnotes to Plato," his thesis is that Hegel's footnotes are the right ones. "Dialectic" here means the dynamic reconciliation of opposites. The question of whether dialectic might have had some other meaning for Plato is not raised. Hegelian jargon is used throughout, without explanation, e.g.: "There are two movements in the Philebus: In the first part, the Substance, World itself, becomes Subject aware of (...) itself in the soul...". In addition, one finds obvious errors, such as the citation of the myth of the Timaeus to prove that Plato understood the Empedoclean rhythm of order and disorder as "more than a myth," and the claim that in the latter part of the Timaeus man is described in the "categories of naturalistic description". Typographical errors abound.—R. J. W. (shrink)

Brief, often overly so, selections from Schweitzer's writings. One can, however, get a sense of his ethical mysticism from this little book.—R. J. W.

This new translation makes Xenophon's interpretation of Socrates readily available for the first time in a low-priced edition. With the exception of unnecessarily literal repetitions of "by Zeus," the translation is smooth. The introduction is somewhat restricted in its usefulness by the assumption that those who condemned Socrates could not have understood what they were doing and by a tendency to blur differences between Plato's and Xenophon's portraits of Socrates.—R. J. W.

A clear, well-written, but overly rapid introduction to Kroner's philosophical system. There is a brief biography and a good bibliography. The exposition proper is done in only eighty-eight pages, and in spite of good organization and careful writing gives a skeletal structure without sufficient flesh. Read along with one or more of Kroner's works, this book would help one to see how particular ideas fit into the larger system.--R. J. W.

One might intuitively expect that logic would lend itself to programmed teaching. This text shows that it does. The authors have provided a carefully worked out program for the propositional calculus. Considerable emphasis is placed on the intuitive plausibility of moves. The student is first introduced to Principia Mathematica notation, then shown the advantages of Polish, which is used throughout the remainder of the text. The program includes techniques for discovering proofs and a thorough discussion of validity.—R. J. W.

A good translation of, and selection from, the writings of Sextus. The editor has provided a helpful and entertaining "polemical introduction," in which he argues that Sextus belongs in the tradition which includes Hume and Wittgenstein. Extensive notes further relate the ideas in the text to those of other philosophers.—R. J. W.

A collection of Bainton's shorter papers on the Reformation period, some extensively revised. Most of the essays deal with either Luther or the "Left Wing" of the Reformation. Whether the topic is "The Struggle for Religious Liberty," or "Luther on Birds, Dogs, and Babies," Bainton maintains a high level of scholarship and style.—R. J. W.

A popular and, on the whole, sympathetic introduction to Kierkegaard. The author, a leading evangelical theologian, tries to separate criticism from exposition. His interest is clearly in Kierkegaard as theologian, not as philosopher.—R. J. W.

A thorough study of Lewis' thought and writings, which combines literary criticism with theological exposition. Kilby shows the basic unity of thought which underlies Lewis' great variety of literary forms. His exposition of Lewis' version of classical Christian orthodoxy is careful and balanced.—R. J. W.

Those who know only Anselm the theologian would do well to spend some time with this extremely thorough study of his most famous logical treatise. The author provides a synopsis, a new edition of the text, a new translation, an informal exposition, and a formal one using the logic of Lesniewski. His thesis is that the De Grammatico is a careful and subtle examination of the theory of paronymy, or, in modern terms, the problem of sense and reference. Anselm's work (...) is both placed in its historical context and related to contemporary issues in logic. One might hope that in a revised edition the text and translation would be printed in parallel, rather than in sequence.—R. J. W. (shrink)

A good selection from St. Augustine's writings, organized topically. Many passages are brief, but they are carefully ordered to present a coherent picture. The price one pays for this approach is the loss of a sense of Augustine's development.—R. J. W.

An excellent collection of Newman's writings, especially his late works on education, philosophy and theology. A few of his Anglican works and some autobiographical material are included, but only enough to give a sketch of his development.—R. J. W.

A restatement of Thomistic educational philosophy designed to counter "progressive education." The author's polemical intentions color his entire study: Not only is Dewey treated unsympathetically, but elements in St. Thomas' thought with which Dewey would have agreed are de-emphasized.—R. J. W.

Here is Plotinus in a truly useful form; useful, that is, for teachers of the history of philosophy who have felt uneasy at having to omit one of the seminal figures in its development. Ten treatises are included, each in its entirety, conveying the complexity of Plotinus' thought surprisingly well. One can find little fault with either selection or translation. In addition, the editor has provided a good introduction, notes on Plotinus' sources, an appendix of related readings, a glossary, and (...) an annotated bibliography.—R. J. W. (shrink)

"And God said...." The author of this interesting study takes seriously the use of the italicized word in the biblical account of Creation. His thesis is that a modified version of the late J. L. Austin's analysis of "performatory" language can be used to reinterpret the traditional Christian claim that God "created" the world. The first half of the book is a purely philosophical analysis of self-involving language. Of particular importance is its clear distinction between, and logical mapping of, performative (...) and expressive language. In the second half this analysis is applied to biblical talk about Creation, an application which is made more valuable by the author's thorough grounding in biblical theology.—R. J. W. (shrink)