The genteel tradition in American philosophy [electronic resource] : and Character and opinion in the United States / George Santayana ; edited and with an introduction by James Seaton ; with essays by Wilfred M. McClay [and others].

New Haven : Yale University Press, ©2009.

1 online resource (xxxviii, 200 pages).

Access is available to the Yale community.

Access restricted by licensing agreement.

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's Democracy in America as 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 onthe 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.

EBSCOhost eBook collection, Yale University Press.

Print version: Santayana, George, 1863-1952. Genteel tradition in American philosophy. New Haven : Yale University Press, ©2009

Books / Online

English

October 14, 2019

Includes bibliographical references and index.