Philosophical Commentaries; Essay towards a New Theory of Vision; Theory of Vision Vindicated by George Berkeley (review)

BOOK REVIEWS 289 Philosophical Commentaries; Essay towards a New Theory of Vision; Theory of Vision Vindicated. By GEORGE BERKELEY. (Edited by A. A. Luce.) London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1948. Pp. 287, with index. 80s. This work is the first volume of a projected edition of The Works of George Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne, put forth by Prof A. A. Luce, of Trinity College, Dublin, and Prof. T. E. Jessop, of University College, Hull. The complete edition will be in eight (or nine) volumes, together with a Life of George Berkeley by Prof. Luce. The biography and volumes two and three are announced as forthcoming, while the others are in preparation. · The various volumes will include material that has come to light since A. C. Fraser's editions of 1871 and 1901. Editorial and textual apparatus will enable the reader to trace changes in the development of Berkeley's thought. This edition is announced as the first item in a new Bibliotheca Brittannica Philosophica. The project could hardly begin with a better representative of British philosophy during the course of the last four centuries than George Berkeley. Both in the present work and in a work published in 1944, Prof. Luce has wisely given the title of Philosophical Commentaries to what is generally , although not properly, known as Berkeley's Commonplace Book. Here are given the more than nine hundred entries that make up Notebook B and Notebook A. As is stated in the editor's introduction, the text printed here is " the text as Berkeley left it, but not, as in the editio diplomatica, the text in the making." Copious notes on the entries are given by Prof. Luce. These are based on his 1944 edition, but limitations of space have led him to reduce his comments and to omit many references found in the earlier edition. Because of the importance of the Philosophical Fragments for an understanding of Berkeley's thought, an even larger annotation of the entries would have added greatly to the volume. The present reviewer would like to have seen a more thorough documentation of the various scholastic terms and doctrines, both those accepted by . Berkeley and those rejected by him, than is given here. It is unfortunate that the note on No. 749 contains so outmoded a statement as the following: " Berkeley would banish the arid metaphysics of the schools, but of course he recognizes metaphysics (e. g. 162-8, 289); his philosophy is metaphysics, but he claims, with reason, that it is commonsense." The editor contributes a valuable introduction not only to the Philosophical Commentaries; but also to An Essay towards a New Theory of Vision, and The Theory of Vision ... Vindicated and Explained. In the case of the two works on vision, his notes are for the most part textual in character. The volume does not contain an index, but this is doubtless in view of a general index to be placed at the end of the complete edition. The book is well printed on good paper and is attractively bound. The 240 BOOK REVIEWS world of learning should welcome this new and needed edition of Berkeley's writings. It is hoped that the forthcoming volumes will maintain the high standards set in the present work. The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. 0. JoaN K. RYAN. Thomas Heute. Zehn Vortriige zum Aufbau einer neuen existentieUen Ordnungs-Metaphysik nach Thomas von Aquin. (Thomas To-day. Ten Contributions for the Composition of a new existential Metaphysical Order according to Thomas Aquinas.) By AMADEO SILvATARoucA . Vienna: Herder, 1947. Pp. !l1!l. S !lS; sfr. 14. The author presents in ten chapters, which preserve the form of lectures, the essence of Thomistic philosophy. His intention is to show that the views of the Doctor Communis are not only timely and allow for an immediate application to actual problems, but that they constitute the only philosophy which promises to the modern man understanding of himself and of his present situation. The keyword is" order." It is order for which the modern man longs, order which he needs in the midst of the confusion surrounding him, order to rebuild a decent and meaningful life after the destruction...