A History of Modern European Philosophy By James Collins (review)

Book Reviews93 Baue, Carolus, O.F.M., Joannes Duns Scotus Doctor Immaculatae Conceptionis , 1.—Textus Auctoris, (BibUotheca Immaculatae Conceptionis —Textus et disquisitiones, 5), Rome, 1954; XI—ro8 pp. Since his book Theologiae marianae elementa of Scotus, published in 1933, was exhausted for some time, the author has been requested to re-publish at least the texts of Scotus on the Immaculate Conception. This is done here, the texts of Scotus himself constituting the first fascicle of a work which will have three parts: the other two fascicles will contain a study on the "testimonia " concerning Scotus and the Immaculate Conception, from theFourteenth Century till our days; and an analysis of the doctrine of Scotus himself — an analysis which will take into account the later understanding of Scotus' doctrine., As for the text-edition of the present fascicle, it is more practical than the earlier edition in Theologiae marianae elementa: all of Scotus' texts on the Immaculate Conception are together, without interruption; the former volume had two ranges of variants for certain texts, now all the variants are together; in the earlier edition the variants of certain manuscripts were printed at the end of the volume, which made comparison of the manuscripts quite difficult (such was the case, for instance, of the Cracow codex containing the Lectura completa); these variants are now in their logical place. The over-all system of text-edition strongly recalls the system adopted by the Commissio Scotistica for the great edition of Scotus' work, including, for the Ordinatio, the value attributed to codex A (Assisi, Comunale 137), and the various tables at the end of the little volume. One supposes that some minor problems will be clarified in the other fascicles of the same work: to the uninitiated such terms as Lectura completa, Reportatio Valentinensis, etc. are not fully clear. Since this work will be used by authors who are not acquainted with the great edition and other publications of Fr. BaUc, a word of explanation could have been added in the Introduction. The same suggestion could be made concerning the relative chronology and the origin of the various texts. E. M. Buytaert, O. F. M. Collins, James, A History of Modern European Philosophy, Milwaukee, 1954; 354 PPProfessor Collins' book is one of those comprehensive studies which, in recent years, we are receiving in constantly increasing numbers from American scholars associated with the most important universities. It "is designed primarily for students who have some acquaintance with Scholastic philosophy and who seek an introduction to the vast field of modern thought" (Preface). Nevertheless, it will be not less profitable to serious students of other philosophical outlooks. The author is well aware of the different methods which have been successfully tried in presenting a survey of modern philosophical thought. With a clear insight into the advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches, Collins devotes his work entirely "to some twenty major figures in the modern European philosophical tradition. In each chapter, the aim is to give some 94FRANCISCAN STUDIES brief biographical indications, explain the method and guiding principles of the man's thought, and describe his position in regard to some of the chief philosophical problems" (Preface). This choice is not only a wise one, but with all the unavoidable limitations it entails, this approach provides the indispensable groundwork for a more detailed scrutiny. It is only on these solid foundations that a serious student is in the position, by means of further study andextensive reading of the original sources, to grasp more fully the common undercurrents which connect the successive systems and conflicting opinions. As a result, the careful reader of this admirably informed textbook gets a clear view of the most impressive peaks of modern philosophical thought, although he will inevitably see them too exclusively in isolation. It might have been possible to throw a little more light on their'mutual connections, and also on the general cultural background they suppose. As the author reminds us, "all great philosophers are still aüve" (p. 7—8), but to see them live, one has to look not primarily at the branches and the leaves of the developed systems, but rather one has to search for the...