Compact quantum systems have underlying compact kinematical Lie algebras, in contrast to familiar noncompact quantum systems built on the Weyl-Heisenberg algebra. Pauli asked in the latter case: to what extent does knowledge of the probability distributions in coordinate and momentum space determine the state vector? The analogous question for compact quantum systems is raised, and some preliminary results are obtained.

Although political theory was pronounced dead only a few short years ago, this collection of articles shows that much life is left in contemporary political theory. Based on a symposium concerning human rights held at the Sixth World Congress of the International Political Science Association held at Geneva in 1964, the collection includes papers by Macpherson, Polin, Chapman, Cranston, Raphael, Mayo, Schneider, and Fawcett. Macpherson and Polin set the context by exploring the concept of rights in Hobbes and Locke. (...) While the other papers have an eye on traditional discussions, they are also concerned with exploring what "rights" does and can mean in the contemporary world. The international gathering of authors brings together diverse points of view on the common problem of human rights.--R. J. B. (shrink)

During the past few years there has appeared an enormous amount of secondary literature dealing with various aspects of the Tractatus. In the main, the purpose animating this scholarship has been a search for a coherent interpretation or key to the Tractatus. Those who have looked forward to the appearance of Black's book for a definitive interpretation of the Tractatus will be disappointed. For Black is not primarily concerned with arguing for a definitive, coherent interpretation. Instead, this book is a (...) companion "intended to make it easier for a serious student of Wittgenstein's early work to reach his own interpretation of the Tractatus." Black has divided the text into "installments" which are introduced by preliminary statements. These are followed by detailed notes commenting on difficult expressions, relevant quotations from Wittgenstein's other works and unpublished manuscripts, explanations of the views to which Wittgenstein refers, cross references to related passages, and occasional free paraphrases of puzzling passages. Given Black's modest but difficult aim, the book will prove invaluable to all students of Wittgenstein, although it will certainly not satisfy those who continue to search for "the key" to what is surely the most mystifying and intriguing philosophic book of our times.—R. J. B. (shrink)

This volume consists of fourteen papers most of which have been published before during a twenty year period. A number of these papers played significant roles in the development of the dialogue of twentieth century analytic philosophy, e.g., "Fallacies in Moral Philosophy", and "Ryle's The Concept of Mind". While Hampshire has been trained as an analytic philosopher, there is something about his distinctive vision that sets him apart from many of his Oxford colleagues. When these essays are read together as (...) a book they indicate how much of Hampshire's thought has been shaped by his reading and appreciation of the subtle and robust naturalism of Aristotle and Spinoza. At the same time, one comes away with the feeling that Hampshire's forte is precisely the literary and philosophic essay, rather than a sustained critical, book or monograph. Each essay raises as many issues as it attempts to resolve. While a complex philosophy of mind and ethics is sketched in broad outline, there is a lack of detailed explication and justification.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Ten years ago Father Ong published a scholarly book, Ramus, Method, and the Decay of Dialogue which led him to raise fundamental questions about the history of the spoken word. Since that time, he has returned to this complex topic from a variety of perspectives, extending his vision over the entire development of Western Civilization. Now in this book he traces the development of the "shifting sensorium," from its oral-aural sources to the subtle take over of the visual world to (...) the new possibilities created by electronic communication. But throughout this history the "mystery" of the spoken word prevails. The spoken word is neither a sign nor a symbol, but a living presence which is at the very center of human life. The mystery of sound "is the most productive of understanding and unity, the most personally human, and in this sense closest to the divine." While Ong ranges over the entire history of man and culture, evoking and exhibiting his claims rather than arguing for them in detail, he opens up for us a fresh and exciting perspective for understanding a wide range of human phenomena.—R. J. B. (shrink)

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)

It is sometimes shocking to realize that despite the flood of monographs and books on minor figures in American intellectual history, no full-length biographies have been published of such major American philosophers as Peirce, Royce and Dewey. Of the three, we perhaps know least about Royce. Yet Royce who was born in California when it was still a frontier and became the leading idealist philosopher in America provides a fascinating chapter in American intellectual life during the latter part of the (...) nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. These letters which cover the period from 1875 until 1916 not only help tell the story of Royce's life but also of what American intellectual life was like during this creative period. Unlike James and Peirce who used their letters to expound and develop their philosophic ideas and to criticize the views of others, we learn much less about Royce's philosophy from these letters. They do help to create a vivid portrait of his many faceted personality. Clendenning's introduction helps to present the essentials of Royce's life and thereby places these letters in their historical context.--R. 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)

A collection of experimental papers focusing on problems of visual perception treated from a transactional viewpoint where "the perceiving mechanism and the stimulus configuration are merely integrally related parts, and in which the assumptions, needs, values and purposes of the perceiver are equally important." Though some of the general conclusions drawn do not seem fully warranted, the experiments themselves are fascinating, showing the varied factors influencing perception. --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.

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)

After briefly presenting and defending the Daseinanalytic view of man, Boss carefully explains the ways in which it complements and re-evaluates classical psychoanalytic doctrines. A skillful use is made of case histories and of detailed discussions of key psychoanalytic concepts.--R. J. B.

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.

Discussions of American philosophy have too frequently fallen into two extreme categories: slavish and plodding exposition; and supercilious and superficial criticism. But what the "classic" American philosophers need is sympathetic but judicious criticism. This book is a model of such criticism. Basically, it consists of two relatively independent monographs--one dealing with Peirce and one with James. Ayer makes no claims to produce a work of historical scholarship. And scholars will find much to quarrel with in this book. But their argument (...) will be with an intelligent and lucid critic. What is especially satisfying is the way in which Ayer discusses some of the more obscure aspects of these philosophers such as Peirce's categories and his theory of signs, and the way in which he attempts to make sense of some of their more controversial claims such as those of James in the Will to Believe. Ayer pulls no punches in pointing out what he takes to be mistaken and untenable; throughout there is a critical dialogue. One can disagree on numerous points of interpretation, but one can only admire the high level of critique. This is the sort of intelligent criticism that these two seminal thinkers deserve.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Iris Murdoch's philosophic essays have been infrequent, but extremely distinguished and subtle. This book consists of three essays previously published, "The Idea of Perfection," "On 'God' and 'Good'," and "The Sovereignty of Good Over Other Concepts." Running through all three essays is a gentle critique of some of the main currents of twentieth century moral philosophy--in its British analytical and continental existentialist varieties. Miss Murdoch is very sensitive to the depth similarities of what is frequently considered to be so different. (...) While many philosophers may find these essays elusive, one comes away with a strong sense from both their style and content that Miss Murdoch has a delicate understanding of the complexity, frailty, and ambiguity that are involved in genuine moral situations--and of the various ways in which much of twentieth century moral philosophy has failed to do justice to the texture of our moral lives.--R. J. B. (shrink)

In the past few years there has been an attempt to publish a variety of Wittgenstein's unpublished notes, scraps, and clippings. While the publication of his early Notebooks was an important contribution for understanding Wittgenstein's Tractarian period, the value of some of the other material published is dubious. The Zettel consists of a collection of fragments that Wittgenstein himself put in a box-file. Many of the clippings are taken from other manuscripts and most of these are taken from typescripts dictated (...) from 1945-1948. The present collection lacks the sustained power of either the Tractatus or the Philosophical Investigations. There is little here that appears to be strikingly new, although some points discussed in the Philosophical Investigations are explored in novel ways. The procedure of printing the German text with facing English translation is followed here. And the translation shows the same high standards evidenced in the other translations of Wittgenstein by Miss Anscombe.--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)

Writing from a liberal Marxist point of view, Schaff admits that Marxists have failed, thus far, to face the challenges of contemporary scientific semantics. He explores a wide spectrum of problems concerning the philosophy of language and exhibits a sophisticated knowledge of the works of Husserl, Peirce, Russell, Wittgenstein, Dewey and others. His approach is dialectical in so far as he attempts to reach his own position through the criticism of others. Nevertheless, his criticism is too frequently extremely superficial. Though (...) much of what Schaff says concerning the social context of human communication is only programmatic, the striking feature of this study is not the differences but the similarities of his Marxist approach and the results of recent non-Marxist investigations of semantics.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Contrary to the usual interpretation of Locke, Cox argues that Locke's political philosophy has a strong Hobbesian flavor. The state of nature is really a state of war, and the law of nature turns out to be a "con- struct of the mind." To justify this interpretation, Cox carefully analyzes Locke's two Treatises. He suggests that Locke accommodated his philosophic argument to the prevailing political, philosophical, and religious atmosphere of the day, but that this is only a device for presenting (...) a much more radical position. The reader may not be completely persuaded by Cox's forceful arguments, but he will discover insights and difficulties which must be taken into account for an adequate understanding of Locke's political philosophy.--R. J. B. (shrink)

This book well deserves the 1965 Century Psychology Series Award. The author displays a remarkable grasp of the history of philosophy, contemporary philosophy of science, probability theory, and behavioral psychology. The first part consists of a review of the empiricist tradition including informative and judicious accounts of rationalists, empiricists, Kant, logical atomism, positivism, and recent trends in logical empiricism. The second part deals directly with psychology and the philosophy of science. It culminates in a detailed and sophisticated discussion of the (...) problems concerning reductionism. The third part treats recent contributions to probability theory and induction. Although Turner covers a great deal of material, he does so with skill and imagination. One will find here one of the best philosophic defenses available of the viability of behaviorism in psychology which directly meets many of the challenges recently raised by skeptical philosophers.—R. J. B. (shrink)

As the author points out, a philosophy of labor can be extremely helpful in illuminating the more general problems of social and political philosophy. For those who are unacquainted with the philosophic treatment of labor, especially in Marx, this discussion may be an aid. However, there is a strong tendency to oversimplify throughout the book and the reader frequently feels that the author is by-passing the really difficult issues. The positive thesis is that humanization of the labor world is an (...) urgent task.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Hardly a month goes by without another book or article concerning some aspect of the philosophy of action. The cluster of issues involved are in the very center of philosophic discussion. Much of the recent concern has been inspired by the liberation from various reductivistic approaches effected by Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. And philosophers are coming to realize that the theory of action is not the study of a well delineated specific issue, but rather a focal point where many philosophical issues (...) meet. The present anthology collects together some of the better and most influential papers concerning action. It is divided into three sections: the general theory of action: the explanation of action; and the concept of action in history, ethics, and law. Unfortunately, many of the best discussions of these issues are to be found in books which the editors have not excerpted here. But there is a helpful introduction which sets out to clarify the context of recent discussions and the different problems that have arisen. There is a brief bibliography which might have been more helpful if it were annotated.--R. J. B. (shrink)

A series of lectures reconstructed by G. J. Warnock from manuscript notes, in which Austin criticizes and exposes some of the standard arguments in the discussion of "sense-data." The cumulative effect of this small classic is to show the confusions which have infected the appeal to "sense-data," and to question the significance of such a concept.--R. J. B.

It is difficult to see what is the purpose of this collection of articles. Numerous full-length works have appeared dealing with various aspects of Wittgenstein's philosophy as well as several anthologies of articles about Wittgenstein. While the articles here are of a high quality and were written especially for this volume, there seems to be no principle of unity or selection here. Winch's introduction stresses the unity of Wittgenstein's philosophy, but it is too brief to resolve the many questions which (...) have been raised about this unity. Schwayder's article dealing with Wittgenstein on mathematics presents a helpful overview of the central themes in Wittgenstein's reflections. One of the most interesting papers is Frank Cioffi's "Wittgenstein's Freud." There are also papers by Hide Ishiguro, Rush Rhees, John W. Cook, L. R. Reinhardt, and Anthony Manser.--R. J. B. (shrink)

This index may help to confuse rather than aid those interested in the Tractatus. The authors have provided yet another translation of key terms and propositions. Consequently, it has only limited value as an index to the two complete translations of the Tractatus. For example, "Sachverhalten," which is translated as "atomic facts" in the Ogden translation and as "states of affairs" in the newer Pears and McGuinness translation, is here rendered as "prime facts."--R. J. B.

Claiming that the movement initiated by Marx, as developed by Engels and Lenin "is the only interpretation of Marx viable at present," Hampsch sets out to present an "objective study of the theory of communism." But the method used here has deceptive clarity and can be very misleading. No serious attempt is made to explain what led Marx to his conclusions nor to account for the changes in the development of Marxism. In light of the diversity of contemporary interest and (...) influence of Marx, the claim that there is only one viable interpretation of Marxism is untenable.—R. J. B. (shrink)

This is an intelligently designed collection of essays dealing with a variety of key issues that are in the foreground of reflection on the social and behavioral sciences. The format followed is an ideal one: a key paper, a comment by a critic, and a reply. Thus, for example, Charles Taylor explains and defends teleological explanation of behavior and engages in an exchange with Robert Borger; and Noam Chomsky reviews the problems of explanation in linguistics and is challenged by Max (...) Black. The quality of this volume is quite high and the contributors are leaders in their fields of inquiry. Not only are there explorations by philosophers but also by practicing behavioral scientists. This is therefore an excellent way of gaining an overview of some of the key issues concerning explanation in the behavioral sciences. But the volume is disappointing in breaking new ground. Many of the points and counterpoints made here can be found in other places, and frequently they are explored in greater detail in other places. The collection also reflects an Anglo-Saxon bias for there is little attempt to include any confrontations with the continental concern with the nature of explanation in the social sciences. A detailed bibliography might have helped to direct the reader to further discussion of the issues involved. But despite these limitations, this is an impressive series of confrontations.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Although this book consists of a number of essays, some of which have been published, there is a remarkable unity of perspective and metaphysical orientation. Mrs. De Laguna writes with clarity and vigor and tackles some of the toughest philosophical problems and positions. Beginning with a discussion of science and teleology, she argues that recent science requires the recognition of "teleonomy" in nature. In her analysis of existence and potentiality, the thesis that whatever exists contains potentialities is defended. This enables (...) her to turn to an analysis of "the individual," which is a basic metaphysical category applicable to all of nature. Moving up the evolutionary "scale," we have forceful and provocative discussions of the person and culture. In the course of her positive exposition there are acute critical discussions of Heidegger, Sartre and Kant. What emerges is a comprehensive orientation for understanding man in society and the universe. Considering the revival of interest in natural teleology and intentionality, the book is timely. Informed with a knowledge and appreciation of developments in science and philosophy, this adventure in metaphysics is urbane, lucid, and illuminating.—R. J. B. (shrink)

The "Kant Book" in this excellent series of Modern Studies in Philosophy presents special problems. Unlike some of the other philosophers examined in this series, there have been a number of excellent books written on Kant, yet the editor has not included any selections from them. He also restricts himself to articles published in English. Although the articles selected are primarily concerned with the First and Second Critiques, with two articles on Kant's Aesthetics, they are all of high quality. Two (...) of the most interesting essays, by Todes and Stadler, have not been published before.—R. J. B. (shrink)

Sixty three papers divided into eleven sections ranging through the philosophy of logic, mathematics, physics, social sciences, history and linguistics. The conference seems to have been used primarily for summing up recent achievements or continuing well-established lines of research, rather than for developing new perspectives --R. J. B.

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)

Beginning with a brief study of the Polish philosophy which flourished after the First World War, the scene is set for following the conflicts between philosophy and ideology. At first the spokesmen for ideology--supported by the State--vehemently attacked the claims of philosophy. But gradually, after the passing of the Stalinist era, the ideologists changed their initial position, reducing their claims. They had discovered the value of objectivity, logical consistency and free inquiry which had been characteristic of the Polish philosophic tradition. (...) The careful attention given to a wide variety of thinkers and the extensive bibliography help to make this an invaluable study for anyone interested in contemporary intellectual life in Poland.--R. J. B. (shrink)

In the spirit of recent analytic investigations, Bennett seeks to analyze the concept of rationality. He approaches this topic by first considering the behavior of honey-bees, which he claims is non-rational. Using this as a model he examines variations that more closely approximate the linguistic manifestation of rationality. Bennett's most interesting thesis is that while language is necessary for rationality, the possession of language is not sufficient for rationality. A good deal of familiar ground is covered here and while Bennett (...) has many novel insights, there seems to be little genuine advance over the work of the later Wittgenstein and his followers.—R. J. B. (shrink)

John J. McDermott, who has already distinguished himself by publishing the best available selection of William James' writings, has now performed the same task for Josiah Royce. Although Josiah Royce is normally classified as one of the American "classical" philosophers, he is probably the least read of these philosophers. These skillfully edited volumes may go a long way to making Royce's comprehensive and complex thought available. There is a brief introduction in which McDermott nicely conveys a "feel" for the man (...) and his thought, especially as it manifests the spirit of American philosophy. The selections are grouped under a number of headings, each preceded with a short commentary. McDermott has deliberately aimed at comprehensiveness, and I suspect even those familiar with some of Royce's work may be surprised by the variety of his investigations. There is a sixty-page annoted bibliography prepared by Ignas K. Skrupsklelis which is the most complete bibliography of Royce's writings available. Although there are no selections from The Problem of Christianity, the University of Chicago Press has recently published this book with a new introduction by John E. Smith. The Letters of Josiah Royce is also being published by Chicago. Painstaking, intelligent editing of philosophic texts is all too rare in our time. McDermott is to be congratulated on a superb job, and the University of Chicago Press is to be praised for undertaking this extensive publication of Royce's work.--R. J. B. (shrink)

The "Death of God" is upon us, and since the phrase has caught the popular imagination there has been an outpouring of literature on the topic—defending, attacking, probing the death of God. Murchland has collected together a number of articles representing the current fascination with "atheistic theology." Although the prose is rich and the polemic fierce, it is difficult to gain much illumination on just what are the basic issues and options concerning this "new" theme. One is impressed by the (...) earnestness of the contributors in their dissatisfaction with traditional theology and religion and the search for new directions, but too often flowery rhetoric is provided where one would like to find careful analysis and argument.—R. J. B. (shrink)

For the past few years, philosophers have heard about the exciting new work in linguistics centering about the contributions of Noam Chomsky and those sympathetic with his approach. The editors of the anthology share the conviction that this work points to a new and more adequate approach to the traditional problems of the philosophy of language which supersedes both positivist and ordinary-language approaches. They have done an excellent job in collecting some of the best papers of recent work in linguistics (...) including papers of Quine, Harris, Chomsky, Klima, Halle, Ziff, Katz, Carnap, Church, Fodor, Lenneberg, and Stevens. The anthology provides an excellent opportunity for philosophers to assess the contribution and significance of recent developments in empirical linguistics.—R. J. B. (shrink)

James is being rediscovered. And we have needed a volume that presents the multifaceted thought of one of America's most original and vital thinkers. McDermott has done an exceedingly skillful and sensitive job in presenting sections that reveal the man, the educator, the psychologist, the cultural critic, and the philosopher. The entire edition of the Essays in Radical Empiricism and A Pluralistic Universe is included as well as the 1907 edition of Pragmatism. There are also selected letters and chapters and (...) essays from the Principles of Psychology, The Will to Believe, and The Varieties of Religious Experience. The editor's introduction vividly conveys a feeling for James, his cultural setting, and the major themes of his philosophy. A corrected version of Perry's Annotated Bibliography of the Writings of William James is included. For those who are ignorant of the richness and variety of James's thought, or for those who want to take another look at James, I can think of no better way than by reading this intelligently edited and reasonably priced volume.--R. J. B. (shrink)

A revised edition of a selection of paragraphs and sayings from the writings of Santayana. The present edition is brought up to date by including selections from Dominations and Powers and My Host the World. While the selections are too brief to reveal the structure and development of Santayana's thought, they wet one's intellectual appetite for a more serious study of Santayana's writings.—R. J. B.

The primary purpose of this study "is to make clear that America does have a philosophy of its own." This is interpreted as meaning that each of the sages contributed to a single, consistent, developing philosophy. Van Wesep is more successful explaining the views of these sages in "untechnical" language than in establishing and justifying his general thesis.--R. J. B.

A new selection from the Federalist Papers with a helpful introduction that explains the origins of these papers and their reception since their publication. Careful annotative and bibliographical indices offer excellent aids for an intelligent appreciation of these famous papers.--R. J. B.

The precise relationships between ideology and cultural policies is a topic of interest to any philosopher concerned with culture. In this fascinating study, the author explores the background of Nazi ideology and policies concerning architecture. Lane persuasively shows how Nazi policies were influenced and inherited from the ideological disputes that surrounded "modern" tendencies in architecture during the Weimar period, especially those disputes concerning the Bauhaus. She also traces the devious paths whereby the social significance of architecture became an issue of (...) national concern in Germany. In the course of the analysis, we not only have a detailed study of architecture and ideology during this crucial period in German history, but a paradigm for intellectual history at its best.--R. J. B. (shrink)

Published in a series, Views and Controversies about Classical Antiquity, this collection consists of fifteen articles or selections dealing with the recent controversy concerning the political doctrines of Plato. Most of the articles were published in direct response to Popper's controversial views expressed in The Open Society and Its Enemies. While some of the more interesting comments on Popper's views are included, a good bibliography and guide to the literature would have greatly increased the value of the book. By photographically (...) reproducing the original articles one might have hoped for an inexpensive edition; instead there is a confusing variety of types.--R. J. B. (shrink)

This book consists of the papers by Northrop Frye, Stuart Hampshire, and Conor Cruise O'Brien read at the inauguration of the Society for the Humanities. The topic was eminently suitable for the inauguration because it provided the occasion for three respected humanistic scholars to reflect on the fragile status of scholarship in our troubled times. While each defends the virtues of objectivity and detachment in scholarship, each is aware how easily these virtues can and do degenerate into vices. Frye sketches (...) the balance that must exist between the scholarly virtue of detachment and the moral virtue of concern. The latter includes the sense of importance of preserving the integrity of the total human community. While Hampshire basically accepts the tension that Frye delineates, he explores in greater depth the ways in which committed scholarship in the humanities is an imaginative working out of personal problems felt to be urgent. Lest his colleagues commit the sin of smugness, O'Brien's more astringent paper focuses on the subtle, pervasive pressures of modern politics that perniciously distort scholarship. The papers, together with Black's urbane introduction, are gentle but elegant reminders of the ideals of humanistic scholarship and the ways in which they are threatened in the contemporary marketplace.—R. J. B. (shrink)

These ten papers written between 1950 and 1960 offer an excellent introduction to the revival of the philosophy of mind among analytic philosophers. Chappell introduces the papers in a novel way by presenting an elaborate argument for solipsism and then showing how the several papers included can be coherently understood by their differing critical responses to the essential premisses of the argument. The perspicuous introduction and the selected bibliography make this a fine text--R. J. B.

Throughout his life, Dewey emphasized the importance of developmental categories. The question naturally arises, what were Dewey's philosophic beginnings? Traditionally, this has been answered by saying that Dewey started as a Hegelian. But the truth is that Dewey did not start his philosophic career as a Hegelian. This fine edition of Dewey's earliest papers and his book on Leibniz provides the reader with an excellent opportunity to study Dewey's first attempts in philosophy. We find Dewey beginning his philosophic career with (...) discussions of materialism, Spinoza, Kant, and Leibniz. We see Dewey's early interest in education, the social sciences, and especially the "new psychology." There are reflections on religion and ethics, and the concern to make philosophy relevant to the practical affairs of men. Indeed one can see here the origins of many of Dewey's later leading ideas such as the importance of the category of the organic for philosophic analysis. Although this is Volume I in the projected first phase of the collected works of Dewey, it is actually the second volume to appear in the series. The same high level of textual analysis is employed here. There is a clear statement of the textual principles used, a helpful introduction to these papers by Lewis E. Hahn, an illuminating note on the texts by Jo Ann Boydston which helps provide the setting for each paper, and the full critical apparatus demanded by textual criticism. This is clearly a definitive critical text. All scholars and students of American philosophy must be grateful for the high standards already achieved by "Dewey Project" of Southern Illinois University.--R. J. B. (shrink)