Brief Notices

BRIEF NOTICES Mediaeval Studies. Vol. II, 1940. The Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. New York: Sheed & Ward. $5.00. The second volume of Mediaeval Studies contains the following papers: "The Teaching of the Canonists on Usury: IV. Punishment of Usurers, by T. P. McLaughlin; "The. Treatise De Anima of Dominicus Gundissalinus ," edited by J. T. Muckle, C. S. B.; "Ralph Niger-An Introduction to his Life and Works,'' by G. B. Flahiff, C. S. B.; "Origin and Significance of the Byzantine Iconoclastic Controversy,'' by G. B. Ladner; "The Canzone d'Amore of Cavalcanti According to the Commentary of Dino del Garbo,'' by Otto Bird; " The Franciscan Ordo Missae in the Thirteenth Century," by V. L. Kennedy, C. S. B.; "Albertus Magnus on Aristotle's Second Definition of the Soul,'' by William Gorman; " An English PilgrimDiary of the Year 990,'' by F. P. Magoun, Jr.; and "A Teachnical Construction in Old Engijsh,'' by L. K. Shook, C. S. B. L'Hygi{me mentale et l'Education. Premiere Congres annual, 19-22 juin 1940. Ottawa: Les Editions du Levrier. In the introductory paper Fr. ·Louis-Marie Regis, 0. P., explains the significance of the meeting whose proceedings are included in this book. He points out that for the art of education a speculative knowledge of the child's nature, though ol extreme importance, is in fact insufficient. As an art, education is dominated by the particular nature of the work to be done; the children with whom the teacher works are individual specimens of human nature and not merely imperfect adults; Such individualized knowledge can come only from the experimental sciences. Their data plus the truths .of rational psychology are essential to the teacher. The papers read at this first meeting were: " L'Enfant et la Criminologie,'' by Dr. Antonio Barbeau; "The Personality Development of the Secondary School Child,'' by Dr. E. C. Webster; "Hygiene Mentale et Education Sexuelle,'' Noel Mailloux, O.P.; "The Hygiene of Mental Work,'' by Dr. A. G. Bills; "La Pratique de I'Hygiene Mentale a l'Ecole,'' by Dr. A. Marcotte; " The Role of the Teacher in Character Education,'' by Dr•. J. A. Long. 898 394 BRIEF NOTICES Reason. (University of California Publications in Philosophy, Vol. 21.) Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 1939. Pp. 228. For several years the University of California has published annually a volume of lectures given by scholars who discuss a certain topic from their respective viewpoints. The lectures of 1938 deal with a very actual topic--reason. Actual it is, because the right understanding and evaluation of reason is a basic issue in the whole life of mankind and particularly in a crisis. The lecturers, all from the staff of the University of California, envision their common topic under the headings: " The Appeal to Reason," by W. R. Dennes; "Artifacts of Reason," by J. Loewenberg; "Reason in Science," by V. F. Lenzen; "Definition," by St. C. Pepper; "Reason in History," by E. W. Strong; "Rationality and Irrationality," by P. Marhenke ; "Reason as Custodian,' by D. S. Mackay; "Reason and Purpose,'' by G. P. Adams. Many of the authors start or end with statements taken from Hume or embodying Hume's conceptions. On the other hand, there are statements which, although couched in a different terminology, remind the reader of well-known concepts. Both Loewenberg and Lenzen, for example , operate with a notion very much like the one of the degrees of abstraction. Mackay emphasizes the difference of "logical rigor " in science and in philosophy, not because metaphysics is devoid of such rigor, but because its " rigor " is of another kind from that of science. Adams affirms that there is, with man, " a new dimension added to the old principles of organization," the name of this new dimension being " reflection." The lectures of the present volume may appear unsatisfactory and disconcerting to those who incline more toward the Scholastic viewpoint, and will be criticized by others for not being " scientific " enough and too unwilling to make far-reaching concessions to positivism. In any case, they are stimulating, interesting, informative. And, most of all, they are a testimony to the aliveness of philosophical passion in an age very much in need of such an...