Book Notes

362 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY Niebuhr, Francis Parkman, David Ramsay, Samuel Williams. More than a dozen others are mentioned for briefer comment. The analysis of the histories written by these men reflects the extent to which historians accept relatively uncritically the vague views on human nature current in their times and useful for their interpretations. His survey and analysis leads Merle Curti to this critical conclusion: The concept of human nature can no longer be used, as many historians did use it, without adequate definition or as a convenient abstraction. An awareness and understanding of the factors entering into perception of self and others and into the motivation of actions has already advanced historical inquiry and explanation into more scientific and objective channels. What has been done may well be only a be~nning. (p. 106) No less enlightening is the second aspect of Curti's exposition: the variety of human types that is exhibited by these historians themselves in their ways of thinking. They are excellent samples of the great range of assumptions, prejudices, convictions, philosophies that have grown up and are still showing themselves among thinking Americans . The human nature in historians is intimately involved in their historical observations and generalizations. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, and assuming that each was telling a true story conscientiously, they show clearly how many different morals can reasonably be drawn from American history by varied American minds. The lessons that historians learn from history are noteworthy: for we, who are laymen who nevertheless try to learn from history, need not be bewildered by the variety; rather, it is sobering to acquire the insights into our own nature and culture that can be gleaned from the study of professional historians, as well as from reading their histories. ~.SSm~T W. SCmCSIDEa Claremont, California BOOK N O T E S Jacobi de Placentia. Lectura cure quaestionibus super tertium De anima. Ed. ZAzishw Kuksewicz. (Ossolineum: Editions de rAcad~mie Polonaise des Sciences, 1967. Pp. 294. zt 55) This is the first printed edition of the commentary (lectura) and questions on Aristotle's De Anima, Book III, by Jacob of Piacenza, mentioned as professor of philosophy at the University of Bologna 1341-43; this work was firfished in 1341. The commentary is of great interest, since it not only explains Aristotle's text but also, in exactly the same way, a portion of Averroes' commentary on Aristotle. As with all medieval commentators, Jacob manages to express his own personal philosophical views too, which arc often in agreement with Averroes on fundamental points, such as the denial of the Lmmortality of the individual intellect. Many, but not all, the questions discussed are characteristic of the Averroist school. Like Siger of Brabant and John of Jandun, Jacob adds that on some points he is only reciting the "false errors" of Averroes, not believing them, but holding firmly to faith. The Latin text of this fine edition is based on manuscripts in Cracow. The editor's excellent introduction, in French, provides background information for the reading of this important new text of Latin Averroism. PaUL J. W. M~,g.~ Univer~ty ot Colorado BOOK REVIEWS 363 Gtambattista Vico: An International Symposium. Giorgio Tagliacozzo (Editor) and Hayden V. White (Co-edltor). Consulting Editors: [siah Berlin, Max H. Fig:h, Eiio Gianturco. (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1969. Pp. xvii+636. $12) This collection of essays constitutes a "symposium," in connection with the celebration in 1968 of the t~rccnlenaxy of Vieo's birth. It is organized as follows. Part I, Comparative H/storica] Studies by Enrico De Maa, Glauco Cambon, Sonatina Caramella, Ernesto Grassi, G/rolamo Cotrono, Dario FauceS, Yvon Bclaval, George A. Wells, Pietro Piovani, Elizabeth Sewell, and Eugene Kamenka. Part 11, Vico's Influence on Western Thought and Letters, ~says by Enrico De Mas, Alain Pons, Ram6n C~fial, s.J., George L. Kline, Rend WeUek, George Whalley, and A. Walton Litz. Part 111, Vico and Contemporary Social and Humanistic Thinking, essays by David Bidney, Tullio de Mauro, Werner Stark, Edmund l.each, H. Smart Hughes, Elio Gianturco, and Giorgio Tagliacozzo. Part IV, Vico and Modern Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Aesthetics, essays by Isiah Berlin, Hayden V...