The Genteel Tradition in American Philosophy and Character and Opinion in the United States

by George Santayana; Edited and with an Introduction by James Seaton; With Essays by Wilfred M. McClay, John Lachs, James Seaton, and Roger Kimball

• ISBN13: 9780300116656
• ISBN10: 0300116659
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2009-10-27
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

This book brings together two seminal works by George Santayana, one of the most significant philosophers of the twentieth century:Character and Opinion in the United States,which stands with Tocqueville'sDemocracy in Americaas one the most insightful works of American cultural criticism ever written, and "The Genteel Tradition in American Philosophy," a landmark text of both philosophical analysis and cultural criticism. An introduction by James Seaton situates Santayana in the intellectual and cultural context of his own time. Four additional essays include John Lachs on the ways Santayana's understanding of "the soul of America" help explain the relative peace among nationalities and ethnic groups in the United States; Wilfred M. McClay on Santayana's life of the mind as it relates to dominant trends in American culture; Roger Kimball on Santayana's "most uncommon benefice, common sense"; and James Seaton on Santayana's distinction between "English liberty" and "fierce liberty." All the essays serve to highlight the relevance of Santayana's ideas to current issues in American culture, including education, immigration, and civil rights.

Author Biography

James Seaton is Professor of English at Michigan State University. His other books  include Cultural Conservatism, Political Liberalism: From Criticism to Cultural Studies (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press 1996) and Beyond Cheering and Bashing: New Perspectives on The Closing of   the American Mind (Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green SU Popular Press, 1992), which he co-edited with William K. Buckley.

Table of Contents

Contributors	p. v
A Note on the Texts	p. ix
Introduction: George Santayana-The Philosopher as Cultural Critic James Seaton	p. xi
Texts
The Genteel Tradition in American Philosophy	p. 3
Character and Opinion in the United States	p. 21
Preface	p. 23
The Moral Background	p. 25
The Academic Environment	p. 39
William James	p. 51
Josiah Royce	p. 64
Later Speculations	p. 81
Materialism and Idealism in American Life	p. 92
English Liberty in America	p. 103
Essays
The Unclaimed Legacy of George Santayana	p. 123
Understanding America	p. 148
The Genteel Tradition and English Liberty	p. 160
Mental Hygiene and Good Manners: The Contribution of George Santayana	p. 175
Index	p. 193
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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