The Harvard Lectures of Alfred North Whitehead, 1924-1925 - (Edinburgh Critical Edition of the Complete Works of Alfred N) (Paperback)

About the Book

This volume finally recreates the first philosophy lectures given by Alfred North Whitehead by transcribing notes and sketches by W. P. Bell, W. E. Hocking and Louise Heath taken at the time.

Book Synopsis

Beginning in September of 1924, Alfred North Whitehead presented a regular course of 85 lectures which concluded in May of 1925. These represent the first ever philosophy lectures he gave and capture him working out the philosophical implications of the remarkable turns physics had taken in his lifetime. This volume finally recreates these lectures by transcribing notes by W. P. Bell, W. E. Hocking and Louise Heath taken at the time - many of which have only recently been discovered and including hundreds of sketches of Whitehead's blackboard diagrams. This is a unique insight into the evolution of Whitehead's thought during the months when he was drafting his seminal work, Science and the Modern World.

From the Back Cover

Presents Whitehead's lectures at Harvard during the 1924-1925 academic year Beginning in September of 1924, Alfred North Whitehead presented a regular course of 85 lectures which concluded in May of 1925. These represent the first ever philosophy lectures he gave and capture him working out the philosophical implications of the remarkable turns physics had taken in his lifetime. This first volume in the critical edition shares these lectures by transcribing notes by W. P. Bell, W. E. Hocking and Louise Heath taken at the time - many of which have only recently been discovered. These notes provide unique insight into what emerges from this extensive course of lectures being given in the very months during which Whitehead is drafting his seminal work, Science and the Modern World. Paul A. Bogaard is Hart Massey Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Mount Allison University, Canada. Jason Bell is Fulbright Professor at the University of Göttingen, Germany and Marjorie Young Bell Research Fellow at Mount Allison University, Canada. Cover image: Alfred North Whitehead by P. D. Drury 1928 (c) The Master and Fellows of Trinity College Cambridge Cover design: Stuart Dalziel [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN 978-1-4744-0184-5 Barcode

Review Quotes

The Harvard Lectures of Alfred North Whitehead merits critical acclaim in two areas. Its commitment to the editorial handling of the transcripts is consistent and thorough, which is a true mark of scholarship. On the part of scientific relevance, it provides context to the diverse lines of thought of a highly nuanced thinker whose interdisciplinary background is difficult to understand otherwise ... This start bodes well for what is to come.

--Aljoscha Berve, University of Dusseldorf "Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society: A Quarterly Journal in American Philosophy "

These lectures are an extremely important tool for scholars who would like to explore the creative way Alfred North Whitehead gave form to his philosophical investigations and ideas ... This book is like an immense laboratory of ideas concerning a great number of issues.

--Giacomo Borbone, Catania University "Philosophy in Review "

This volume is an indispensable asset for any Whitehead scholar. The book shall also prove important for people interested in the history of the philosophy of science and the history of philosophy generally, since it tracks many unexpected parallels between Whitehead's specific outlook and the philosophies of Descartes and Spinoza, Leibniz and Kant, Russell and Wittgenstein, Husserl and Bergson. Last but not least, it documents a significant turning point in the philosophical development of one of the most important thinkers of 20th century.

--Rosen Lutskanov, Bulgarian Academy of Science "Balkan Journal of Philosophy "

Invaluable ... Students and scholars of Whitehead's philosophy and those more generally interested in the intersections of philosophy and science will find a treasure trove for gleaning the development, breadth, and depth of Whitehead's thought ... This richly packed and stimulating first volume portends well for the future of the Edinburgh series as a whole ... This first volume is - and forthcoming volumes will be - an essential research tool and intellectual treasure for every scholarly library and for every serious student of Whitehead.--William J. Meyer, Maryville College "American Journal of Theology and Philosophy "

This is a truly revelatory volume that helps to put more of the various pieces of the puzzle that is Whitehead's philosophical thought together ... It is certain that Whitehead scholars and enthusiasts all stand together in welcoming this valuable contribution.--Adam C. Scarfe, University of Winnipeg "Process Studies "

About the Author

Paul A. Bogaard retired from teaching after 40 years at Mount Allison University, having published on the philosophy of chemistry, history of science in Canada, ancient philosophy; and since retirement on the local history of the Chignecto area of Maritime Canada. A founding director of the Tantramar Heritage Trust, the Sackville Waterfowl Park, the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, and the UNESCO-designated Fundy Biosphere Reserve

Jason Bell is assistant professor of philosophy at the University of New Brunswick. He has taught in the graduate program at the Higher Institute of Philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and at Mount Allison University in Canada, and has served at the University of Göttingen as Fulbright Professor, as scholar-in-residence at Boston University, as Onderzoeksfonds Research Fellow at the Husserl Archives, and as d'Alzon Fellow at Assumption College. He was awarded the doctorate in philosophy at Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on ethics and the relation of American and European philosophy.