John Edwin Smith

Background

Smith, John Edwin was born on May 27, 1921 in Brooklyn. Son of Joseph Robert and Florence Grace (Dunn) Smith.

Education

AB, Columbia University, 1942. Doctor of Philosophy, Columbia University, 1948. Bachelor's Degree, Union Theological Seminary, New York City, 1945.

Master of Arts, Yale University, 1959. Doctor of Laws, University Notre Dame, 1964.

Career

Instructor religion and philosophy Vassar College, 1945-1946. Instructor, then assistant professor Barnard College, 1946-1952. Member faculty Yale University, from 1952, professor philosophy, 1959—1991, chairman department, 1961—1991, Clark professor philosophy, 1972-1991, Clark professor philosophy emeritus, 1991—2009.

Visiting professor Union Theological Seminary, 1959, University Michigan, 1958. Guest professor University Heidelberg, Germany, 1955-1956. Fagothey chair of philosophy University Santa Clara, 1984, visiting professor Boston College, 1992.

Dudleian lecturer Harvard, 1960. Lecturer American Week, University Munich, Germany, 1961. Suarez lecturer Fordham University, 1963.

Public lecturer King's College, University London, 1965. Aquinas lecturer Marquette University, 1967. Warfield lecturer Princeton Theological Seminary, 1970.

Fulbright lecturer Kyoto University, Japan, 1971. Sprunt lecturer Union Theological Seminary, Virginia, 1973. Mead-Swing lecturer Oberlin College, 1975.

H. Richard Niebuhr lecturer Elmhurst College, Illinois, 1977. Merrick lecturer Ohio Wesleyan University, 1977. Roy Wood Sellars lecturer Bucknell University, 1978.

O'Hara lecturer University Notre Dame, 1984. Winston Churchill lecturer Bristol (England) University, 1985. Hooker distinguished visiting professor Mc Master University, 1985.

Member advisory committee National Humanities Institute, New Haven, 1974, director, 1977-1980. Winston Churchill lecturer Bristol University, England, 1985.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Quasi-Religions: Humanism, Marxism and Nationalism

    (This fascinating book considers systems of belief and pra...)

  • The analogy of experience: An approach to understanding religious truth (The Annie Kinkead Warfield lectures)

    (This book is part of the Annie Kinkead Warfield Lectures ...)

  • Religion and Empiricism. The Aquinas Lecture, 1967

    (Religion And Empiricism: 1967 Aquinas Lecture, by Smith, ...)

  • The Spirit of American Philosophy (SUNY Series in Philosophy (Paperback))

    (This revised edition of John E. Smith's classic details t...)

  • Jonathan Edwards: Puritan, Preacher, Philosopher (Outstanding Christian Thinkers)

    (Book by Smith, John E.)

  • RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS Volume 2 of the Works of Jonathan Edwards
  • Themes in American Philosophy: Purpose, Experience and Community (Torchbooks)
  • The spirit of American philosophy. c (Galaxy book)
  • A Jonathan Edwards Reader (Yale Nota Bene) by John E Smith (2003-05-16)
  • Value convictions and higher education
  • THE ANALOGY OF EXPERIENCE: AN APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOUS TRUTH. Warfie
  • Purpose and thought: The meaning of pragmatism
  • Spirit of American Philosophy (SUNY series in philosophy)

Views

From the start of his career Smith has combined an interest in American pragmatism with one no less intense in philosophy of religion. The unity of these interests was first reflected in his early selection of Royce for book-length analysis, noting in successive lines of his Preface the unheralded importance of Royce’s interpretation of Christianity and Royce’s intellectual debt to Charles Peirce. Throughout his work that double interest continues, one of these topics almost invariably leading to the other. When writing of pragmatism, its treatment of philosophy of religion is included; when writing of religion the pragmatic approach is often featured. In this regard, while supportive of all the pragmatists, Smith often adverted to Royce as providing the appropriate balance of individuality and community, along with the generality of purpose necessary to a religious consideration of the ground and purpose of human existence. Beyond this, he smoothes out occasional rough edges in the various approaches of the pragmatists, and relates their concerns to contemporary issues in philosophy.

Membership

Member Culinary Institute American (director New Haven affiliate), American Philosophical Association (vice president 1980, president 1981), American Theological Society (president 1967-1968), Metaphys. Society of America (president 1970-1971, founder's medal, 1996), Hegel Society of America (president 1971), Charles S. Peirce Society (president 1992).

Interests

• Philosophy of religion and American philosophy.

Connections

Married Marilyn Blanche Schulhof, August 25, 1951 (deceased 2006). Children: Robin Dunn, Diana Edwards.

Father:

Joseph Robert Smith

Mother:

Florence Grace (Dunn) Smith

Spouse:

Marilyn Blanche Schulhof

child:

Diana Edwards Smith

child:

Robin Dunn Smith