Vollenhoven Newsletter 2 (2005)

8/11/2019 Vollenhoven Newsletter 2 (2005)

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Vollenhoven NewsletterNo. 2, October 2005, this issue consists of 7 pages. Page 1

VOLLENHOVEN NEWSLETTER

D.H.Th.VOLLENHOVEN FOUNDATIONEditor: Anthony Tol (Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Editorial Committee: Kornelis A. Bril, secretary (Free University, Amsterdam,The Netherlands; retired), John H. Kok (Dordt College, Sioux Center, USA),

Robert S. Sweetman (Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, Canada)

No.2, October 2005

In this issue

Preface

Work completed: new publications

ForthcomingA Vollenhoven Reader

Further news(i)Eric J. Kamphofs masters thesis

(ii) Vollenhoven Study Group

In Memory of N.T. van der Merwe

Further information

This Newsletter also appears on the Vollenhovenwebsite of the Centre for Reformational Philosophy

[Centrum voor Reformatorische Wijsbegeerte]http://home.wxs.nl/~srw

D.H.Th. Vollenhoven FoundationDr. K.A. Bril, secretary, Belle van Zuylenlaan 32, 1183EJ Amstelveen, The Netherlands, (e) [email protected]

The Vollenhoven Foundation [Stichting D.H.Th.Vollenhoven] is registered with the Chamber of Com-merce of Amsterdam, registration number: S 41216967.Gifts or donations for the Foundation are tax deducti-ble. Bank connection of the Foundation: ABN AMRO

Bank NV, The Netherlands; account nr. 48.91.81.694.Residents of Canada or the United States can forwardgifts, marked "Vollenhoven Foundation", to Dr. JohnH. Kok, Dordt College, 498 Fourth Ave. N.E., Sioux

Center, Iowa 51250, USA.

Vollenhoven NewsletterA. Tol, editor, c/o Free University, Philosophy De-partment, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam,

The Netherlands, (e) [email protected]

Design: De Zaak Haes (www.zaakhaes.nl)

Preface

The former issue (No.1, 2003) explained theaims of the Vollenhoven Newsletter. Any-one who has something to share that is rele-

vant for the study of Vollenhoven is wel-come to send this to the editor.N.B. In No.1, K.A. Brils email address con-tained an error. It should [email protected] .

Work completed

In the former issue there was a report onprojects that were nearing completion. Itturned out that the planning of the expectedpublications was slightly on the optimisticside. But we are happy to announce thatseveral important projects are now complet-ed. Here is an update on the works involved.

Publications bearing on Vollenhovens

Problem-Historical Method

(i) Kornelis A. Bril, Vollenhovens Problem-Historical Method. Introduction and Exploration.

Translated by Ralph W. Vunderink, with anintroduction by K.A. Bril and R.W. Vunder-ink. Dordt College Press, Sioux Center, Io-

wa, 2005, 116 pgs. ISBN 978-0-932914-60-0[US$ 14.00; !11,20]

This work is a translation of Kor Brils partof A. Tol and K.A. Bril, Vollenhoven als


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wijsgeer. Inleidingen en teksten(Amsterdam: Buij-ten en Schipperheijn, 1992), pp. 215-299.

The text discusses in a very accessible waythe aims and set-up of Vollenhovens prob-lem-historical method. The text has beenrevised and augmented at the suggestions ofthe translator, and it contains a new introduc-tion, pp. 1-11.

(ii) D.H.Th. Vollenhoven, De Probleemhistori-sche Methode en de Geschiedenis van de Wijsbegeerte,red. K.A. Bril. De Zaak Haes, Amstelveen,2005, 182 pgs. ISBN-10: 90-77157-03-4 [!19,00; US$ 23.75; Can$ 29.45]

This volume (in Dutch, but see the next title,which is the translation of this volume)brings together four texts by Vollenhoven in

which he explains or demonstrates the prob-lem-historical method. Practically speaking,this volume serves as Vollenhovens ownintroduction to his method of historiographyin philosophy. The editor has provided ex-tensive annotations.

The volume contains the following texts:(1) Conservatisme en progressiviteit in de

wijsbegeerte (pp. 11-19) first published inConservatisme en progressiviteit in de wetenschap.Interfacultaire voordrachten in 1958 gehouden aan de

Vrije Universiteit(Kampen: Kok, 1959), 35-48.

(2) Kort overzicht van de geschiedenis derwijsbegeerte (pp. 21-93) (1956).

(3) De consequent probleemhistorischemethode (pp. 95-140), Philosophia Reformata26 (1961), 1-34

(4) Gnostiek (pp. 141-155).

The volume ends with overviews of the time-currents and types, and with an illustration of

Vollenhovens Schematic Charts, as pub-lished by K.A. Bril and P.J. Boonstra in 2000.

There are also a listing of relevant literatureand indexes.

For short descriptions of each of the fourtexts, see the next volume, which containsthese texts in translation.

The Vollenhoven Foundation gratefullyacknowledges that publication was madepossible by generous financial support fromthe Pro Religione et Libertate Foundation.

(iii) D.H.Th. Vollenhoven, The Problem-Historical Method and the History of Philosophy,ed. by K.A. Bril, translated by J. de Kievit, S.Francke, J.G. Friesen and R. Sweetman. DeZaak Haes, Amstelveen, 2005, 178 pgs.ISBN-10: 90-77157-05-0 [!19,00; US$ 23.75;Can$ 29.45]

This volume is a complete translation of theVollenhoven volume mentioned above (ii),including the editors annotations. The fourtexts in translation are:(1) Conservatism and Progressiveness inPhilosophy, translated by Stoffel Francke,Robert Sweetman and John de Kievit (pp.11-19). In this text Vollenhoven focuses onthe meaning of time-currents (Dutch:tijdstromingen) and types (typen) and giveshistorical illustrations.

(2) Short Survey of the History of Philoso-phy, translated by John de Kievit (pp. 21-88). This text has not previously been pub-lished. It existed only as syllabus for studentuse. It is Vollenhovens last general survey(dated August 1956) of the whole history of

western philosophy, ancient, medieval (syn-thesis philosophy) and modern, in which heuses the main distinctions of his problem-historical method.

(3) The Consequential Problem-HistoricalMethod, translated by Robert Sweetmanand John de Kievit (pp. 89-135). This textbegins with autobiographical remarks regard-ing the origin of the method and then pro-ceeds to apply the method in a discussion ofGreek and Hellenistic thought.

(4) Gnosticism (pp. 137-151). This textconsists of the notes of a lecture Vollenho-

ven gave on this topic in July 1965. Vol-lenhoven here applies the problem-historicalcategories to the diversity of Gnosticthought. The notes were not previouslypublished.


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This volume ends with the same material asmentioned above with regard to the Dutch

volume.

(iv) D.H.Th. Vollenhoven, Wijsgerig Woorden-boek, red. K.A. Bril. De Zaak Haes, Amstel-

veen, 2005, 473 pgs. ISBN-10: 90-77157-04-2 [!37,50; US$ 46.75; Can$ 58.00]

This philosophical dictionary is a republi-cation of the articles Vollenhoven wrote forthe Oosthoeks Encyclopedie, 5thedition, 1959-1964. The entries, more than 1000 (inDutch), focus on philosophical terms andthinkers of western thought. Vollenhovenused the distinctions of his problem-historical method in characterizing the con-ceptions of thinkers. The terms of the prob-lem-historical method are, in turn, definedand illustrated in articles devoted to them.So, apart from the usual biographical dataincluded in such articles, this work has theunique value of setting up an intricate net-

work between philosophical terms, as sepa-rately described and as used in the characteri-zations of a thinkers philosophical concep-tion. Vollenhovens talent of concise formu-lation is well applied here.

The volume ends with the same overviews asare found in the volumes mentioned above.

The Vollenhoven Foundation gratefullyacknowledges that the publication of this

volume was made possible through generousfinancial support from the ZonneweeldeFoundation and the Pro Religione et Liber-tate Foundation.

In summary

The two original volumes of Vollenhovenmentioned above, together with the publica-tion mentioned in the former issue of theNewsletter, namely, D.H.Th. Vollenhoven,Schematische Kaarten: Filosofische concepties in

probleemhistorisch verband[Schematic Charts: Philo-sophical Conceptions in Problem-historical Layout],edited and with annotations by K.A. Bril andP.J. Boonstra (Amstelveen: De Zaak Haes,2000; 422 pgs. ISBN 90-805180-2-6; Euro !25,00), form a trilogy. The Schematic Chartsprovide the skeletal layout of the whole his-

tory of philosophy. The Philosophical Dic-tionary provides the definitions of the termsand brief descriptions of the philosophicalconceptions of western thinkers. The vol-ume on the Problem-Historical Method con-tains connected accounts as to how Vol-lenhoven envisaged the historiography inpractice. These three volumes bring togetherthe essential documentationof the problem-historical method, in its most definitive form,as found in the Vollenhoven papers, writtenafter the now somewhat dated volume, Ges-chiedenis der Wijsbegeerte I[on pre-Platonicphilosophy] (Franeker: Wever, 1950). TheFoundation regrets that two of these three

volumes are currently only available in Dutch(although on can get a long way in the Charts

without specific knowledge of the Dutchlanguage). Kor Brils volume, i.e. the firsttitle mentioned above, serves as general in-troduction to the entire trilogy.

Sale

The books mentioned above may be orderedthrough their publishers. We note that DeZaak Haes in an independent publisher, with

no web links to major Internet booksellers.This publishers email address is: [email protected]. The books may also beordered via the Centre for ReformationalPhilosophy, email address:[email protected] . Cf. the colophon ofthis Newsletter, page 1, for further details.Canadian and American readers can order allof the English language books via DordtCollege Bookshop;http://www.dordt.edu/dordt_press[betweendordt and press there is a line: _].


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N.B. When ordering the trilogy (SchematischeKaarten, Wijsgerig Woordenboekand either of (ii)or (iii) above), there is a 5 euro reduction.

Publications bearing on Vollenhovens

systematic work

In the former issue of the Newsletter therewas a report on the work in progress withrespect to Vollenhovens Isagg Philoso-phiae (Introduction to Philosophy). Sincethat report, a Dutch-English (hard cover)

version and an English only (paperback)version of this text have been prepared. InAugust of this year there appeared: Dirk H.T.

Vollenhoven, Introduction to Philosophy, editedby John H. Kok and Anthony Tol, with aPreface by Calvin Seerveld and a Forewordby Anthony Tol. Dordt College Press, SiouxCenter, Iowa, 2005, xxxii+163 pgs. ISBN978-0-932914-65-1 [US$ 16.00] This volumeis John Koks translation of the Vollenhoventext. It includes an extensive index of termsand a complete index of names.

In October 2005 the bi-lingual edition ap-peared: Dirk H.T. Vollenhoven, IsaggPhilosophiae: Introduction to Philosophy, also by

Dordt College Press, with the same Prefaceand Foreword as for the English only vol-ume; ISBN 978-0-932914-63-7 [US$ 36.00].

The Dutch text is the most definitive versionof the text as found among the Vollenhovenpapers. It has been edited by Tony Tol.

For more than 20 years (from 1926 to 1948)Vollenhoven gave an introduction to phi-losophy course that was a required course forall first year students of the Free University.He took the opportunity, which this course

presented, to develop the main contours ofhis idea of Christian philosophy. Initiallythere was no literature available for the stu-dents. Vollenhoven therefore arranged tohave his notes typed up as a syllabus, whichhe named Isagg Philosophiae. The firstcomplete version of this syllabus appeared in1930. Vollenhoven continued to develop histhought, and so over the years many versionsof this Isagoge appeared.

Vollenhovens personal copy, in which he

made final changes that were never includedin public versions of the text, is the basis of

the current publication. The English transla-tion has been carefully checked to match thedefinitive version of the Dutch text.

FurthermoreThe publication of the Isagg Philosophiaedoes not mean that the critical (or academic)edition, mentioned in the former issue of thisNewsletter, is tabled. That text will appear(in Dutch) when the introduction (in Eng-lish), which explains the development of thetext and the attendant changes in Vollenho-

vens thinking, is completed. Responsibilityfor this project lies with Tony Tol.

Forthcoming

A Vollenhoven Reader

A draft version ofA Vollenhoven Reader, com-piled and edited by John Kok of Dordt Col-lege (and Dordt College Press), that has beenused by students of Dordt College and thoseof the Institute for Christian Studies in To-ronto, is about to be published. The provi-sional selection of Vollenhoven texts, alltranslated by John Kok, includes a sectionfrom Vollenhovens 1933 volume Calvinismand the Reformation in Philosophy. Theremaining texts are complete articles from1949 and later. Most of these articles werepreviously published (in Dutch) in the vol-ume, A. Tol and K.A. Bril Vollenhoven alsWijsgeer(1992), such as Sphere Sovereigntyfor Kuyper and for Us, Using and AbusingScripture and The Unity of Life. Butothers are pieces that are now difficult toretrieve. When the work appears it will re-ceive a more thorough coverage in this me-dium.

Further news

(i)Eric J. Kamphofs masters thesisBob Sweetman, of the Institute for ChristianStudies in Toronto, reports.

Eric Kamphof successfully defended hismasters thesis entitled, The Triunity of Life:On the Unity of the Vollenhovian Projecton 4 October 2004. The thesis represents a

very creative interaction with the English

Vollenhoven (this being in the main John


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Koks draft version of A VollenhovenReader, including Vollenhovens Introduc-tion to Philosophy). The thesis explores

whether Vollenhovens logic and epistemolo-gy might provide a fruitful perspective from

which to view the unity of Vollenhovenssystematic and historical work. But the thesismoves beyond Vollenhoven in taking a num-ber of independent positions on the relation-ship between normative and structural law,between the law of the Spirit and positivelaw, and on the nature of the thus-so and thegenetic determinations.We congratulate Eric with this interesting

work. Hopefully Eric can continue his stud-ies in a PhD program.

(ii) Vollenhoven Study Group

There is activity to report regarding a group,whose aim it is to promote Vollenhovensconsequential problem-historical method(CPHM). The CPHM work group wishes tocollect any information there is about themethod, discuss its current relevance, andutilize it in the actual study of the history ofphilosophy. There is an executive commit-tee of four persons:

-Rudi Hayward, chair person, holds thedegree of BA in philosophy and MA inmodern European philosophy, and teach-es philosophy in the UK;

- Steve Bishop, webmaster and websiteproprietor, holds the degrees of BSc inmathematics, in physics, and MA in ap-plied theology, and currently is a mathe-matics lecturer in the UK;

- Paul Robinson, university student repre-sentative, The Queens University of Bel-

fast, holds a BA in philosophy and scho-lastic philosophy;

- Albert Gedraitis, work-community advi-sor, holds a BA in philosophy, and hasteaching experience in philosophy andlogic at college level (USA).

The work group maintains a website with abibliographical Vollenhoven section at:URL:http://www.freewebs.com/reformational/vollenhoven.htm.

The Vollenhoven Newsletter will gladly re-port on work in progress.

Speaking of which, within this work group areading group is being organized, with theintention of thinking through the complexityof Vollenhovens method by beginning withhis six conceptions of the first time-currentof ancient philosophy, i.e. universalistic sub-jectivism. These are: Mythologizing dualism(Musaeus), Mythologizing monism (Hesiod),Purely cosmological monism (Thales), Purelycosmological dualism (Xenophanes), Cos-mogono-cosmological monism (Heraclitus),and Cosmogono-cosmological dualism (Em-pedocles).

The plan is to have a set reading,covering pre-Socratic fragments and Vol-lenhoven material, assigned for a two-weekperiod. After the first week the participants

will discuss the reading through an email list-serve. Rudi Hayward, who has agreed to actas a point of contact for those interested, hascomposed for this purpose a PresocraticStudy Course Outline. The essential textsare:

- Bril, K.A. (2005) Vollenhovens Problem-Historical Method: Introduction and Explora-tions, translated by Ralph W. Vunderink

-Kirk, G.S. & Raven, J.E. (1957) ThePresocratic Philosophers: A History with a Selec-tion of Texts

- Vollenhoven, D.H.Th. (2005) The Problem-Historical Method and the History of Philoso-

phy, ed. by Kornelis A. Bril

- Vollenhoven, D.H.Th. (1950) Geschiedenisder wijsbegeerte I(see the partial translationathttp://www.freewebs.com/presocratics/)

Other relevant texts will be made available onthe Internet. In Rudis outline this material isapportioned over six periods. The CPHMreading group plans to start in the beginningof 2006.

For more information, please contactRudi Hayward, email (with symbols writtenout): rhaywardatfishdotcodotuk..


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In Memory of

N.T. van der Merwe3 Nov. 1932 14 Sept. 2004

Last year the South African philosopher,Nicolaas Theodor van der Merwe, passedaway. While his name was seldom heard inthe last decades outside of his country, he

was a close associate of Vollenhoven and washeld in high esteem by him. Kor Bril hascontributed to a planned memorial volume inhis honour. The following is an extract (inmy translation) from this contribution.

Tony Tol

In memory of my friend,

Theo van der Merwe

In Groningen, which to the Dutch way ofthinking lies far away from Amsterdam, Istudied the writings of Vollenhoven. Prof.K.J. Popma had emphasized the importanceof his work in lectures he gave on Reforma-tional philosophy at the University of Gro-ningen. Vollenhovens work fascinated me,and as I studied it I made three large chartsto gain an overview of the periods of philos-ophy and its diverse traditions of thought.

Once a year I came to Amsterdam toattend the annual meeting of the Associationfor Calvinistic Philosophy. Here I tried toget into contact with students that were in-terested in Vollenhovens work, and that washow I met Theo. I showed him my threelarge charts. Surprised, he asked, How didyou make these? Well, I replied, on thebasis of Vollenhovens publications. Then Iheard that in a small circle of Vollenhovensstudents a book existed, Schematic Charts(Amsterdam, April 1962), that contained

more extensive charts than mine. It consist-ed of 52 charts, and it also had an extensiveindex of names. But it was an internal publi-cation, meant only for the private use of

Vollenhovens students. Also, it was soldout. But thanks to Theos appeal, Vollenho-

ven allowed me to have the last reservedcopy. I received this on January 3, 1964, and

with this precious book I returned to Gro-ningen.

I later learned that the charts had beenTheos idea. As Vollenhovens assistant, he

had been able to persuade Vollenhoven of its

necessity. Theo saw to its effectuation. Thisprivate publication was vital for me towardsunderstanding Vollenhoven and for the fur-ther study of his method.

In 1966, after Vollenhovens retirement, Iwent to work at the Free University. Vol-lenhoven still gave monthly seminars forinterested students. After his death, I ar-ranged for the publication of his last writingsin Vollenhovens laatste werk 1970-1975(Vollenhovens Last Work) (Amsterdam:

VU Uitgeverij, 1982). By way of dedication Iwrote: Dedicated to N.T. van der Merwe,who prepared the first edition of the Sche-matic Charts in 1962, and to A. Tol, whopublished the second revised edition seven-teen years later. [This second edition waslimited to the period of Greek philosophy.]Since Vollenhoven had continued to reviseand develop his method, a new edition of thecharts was called for. Without Theos edi-tion, I, together with Pete J. Boonstra, wouldnot have been able to edit the charts and givethem their most definitive form in Schema-tische Kaarten(Amstelveen: De Zaak Haes,2000, ISBN 90-805 180-2-6).

It had become evident to me that it was diffi-cult to get Vollenhoven to publish a text.

The head librarian of the Free University, dr.J. Stellingwerff, had noticed this too. In 1962he announced the appearance of a new series,called Christelijk Perspectief, of which he wasthe editor. (The first volume of this series isH. Dooyeweerds Verkenningen (1962)). In itsprovisional program for 1963, Stellingwerffannounced: D.H.Th. Vollenhoven, Woorden-boek der Wijsbegeerte, vol. 1 (Dictionary ofPhilosophy, I). This was to be a republica-tion of Vollenhovens articles for theOosthoeks Encyclopedie(in two volumes). Atthe beginning of 1962, nine of the sixteen

volumes of this encyclopaedia (in its 5thedi-tion) had appeared (A-L). But for variousreasons, this first volume of articles did notmaterialize. Later, when the 5thedition wascompleted, Vollenhoven decided that heneeded to review all the articles anew beforepublishing them separately. This effected anindefinite delay.

In 1969-1970, Theo van der Merwe wasagain in the Netherlands for a period ofstudy, and this offered new opportunities forgetting the encyclopedia articles published.


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On 6 October 1969, I wrote to Stellingwerff:I am able to make the welcome announce-ment, also on behalf of Mr. Van der Merwe,that prof. Vollenhoven has agreed to a sepa-rate publication of his articles in OosthoeksEncyclopedie. He concurred after long hesi-tation. Theo was the only person whocould persuade Vollenhoven to make the textavailable. From that time on, I became in-

volved in the further planning.In 1975 Stellingwerff again announced the

pending publication of Vollenhovens philo-sophical dictionary in the series ChristelijkPerspectief. But again, for all sorts of reasons,publication had to be postponed. It is only

now, in 2005, that this voluminous work ofVollenhoven has appeared, entitled WijsgerigWoordenboek. Without Theos essential con-tribution in the background, this would nothave been possible.

The publication of two important historio-graphical works of Vollenhoven was madepossible through Theos inspiration and me-diation. It is with gratitude that I report theabove, in memory of my friend, Theo vander Merwe.

Kor Bril

Vollenhoven Newsletter 2 (2005)

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