Richard Ithamar Aaron
Encyclopedia
Richard Ithamar Aaron was a Welsh
philosopher.
, Glamorgan
, Aaron was the son of a draper, William Aaron, and his wife, Margaret Griffith. He was educated at Ystalyfera
Grammar School, followed by a spell at the University of Wales
starting in 1918, where he studied history and philosophy. In 1923 he was elected a Fellow of the university, allowing him to attend Oriel College, Oxford, where he was awarded a DPhil
in 1928 for a dissertation titled "The history and value of the distinction between intellect and intuition".
. After the retirement of W. Jenkin Jones in 1932 Aaron was appointed to the chair of philosophy at Aberystwyth University where he settled, initially at Bryn Hir and later at Garth Celyn. Although his early publications focused on epistemology and the history of ideas, Aaron became fascinated with the work and life of John Locke
. The interest was sparked by his discovery of unresearched information in the Lovelace Collection, a collection of notes and drafts left by John Locke to his cousin Per King
. In the collection he found letters, notebooks, catalogues, and, most exciting of all, an early draft of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, hitherto presumed missing. Aaron's research led to the 1937 publication of a book covering the life and work of Locke, which subsequently became to be considered the standard work for that subject. The proofs were read by Rhiannon Morgan, who Aaron married in 1937; they were happily married and had five children together.
Aaron produced several more books and articles, including a book in Welsh on the history of philosophy, Hanes athroniaeth—o Descartes i Hegel in 1932. He attempted to boost interest in philosophy in wales, and established a philosophy section of the University of Wales Guild of Graduates in 1932, a society which still exists and notably conducts all its proceedings in Welsh.
Other notable publications of his include the essay "Two senses of the word universal" (published in Mind
in 1939) and "Our knowledge of universals" read to the British Academy
in 1945 and published in volume 23 of its Proceedings
. As shown in his work Aaron had an intense fascination with the idea of a Universal
, which culminated in his 1952 book The Theory of Universals. In this book he attacks the notion of universals as Platonic forms
, but is equally critical of Aristotelian
realism about essences, as he is also of nominalism
and conceptualism
as theories of universals.
Between 1952 and 1953 Aaron was invited to be Visiting Professor at Yale University
, In 1956, where was able to study the third draft of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
at the Pierpont Morgan Library, which resulted in a substantial addition to the second edition of John Locke, published in 1955, a year where he was also made a Member of the British Academy and President of the Mind Association. In 1956 when the annual lecture hosted by the Aristotelian Society
and the Mind Association (who published the journal mind) was hosted in Aberystwyth
, Aaron was invited to give the inaugural lecture. In 1957 he was made president of the Aristotelian Society.
In 1967 he published a second edition of The Theory of Universals, with a new preface, several new additions and several rewritten chapters. In 1971 he published both a third edition of his Locke biography and the book Knowing and the Function of Reason, which includes a wide-ranging discussion of the laws of non-contradiction
, excluded middle
, identity
, of the use of language in speech and thought, and of substance
and causality
.
After retiring in 1969, he taught for one semester at Carlton College in Minnesota
before returning to Wales. While at home he helped write articles for the 1974 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica
. He eventually began to feel the effects of Alzheimer's disease
, and died at home on March 29, 1987.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
philosopher.
Early life and education
Born in BlaendulaisSeven Sisters, Wales
Seven Sisters Dulais) is a village in the Dulais Valley, Wales, UK. It lies north-east of Neath. Seven Sisters falls within the Seven Sisters ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough.-History:...
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, Aaron was the son of a draper, William Aaron, and his wife, Margaret Griffith. He was educated at Ystalyfera
Ystalyfera
Ystalyfera is a former industrial village in the upper Swansea Valley, on the River Tawe, about north-east of Swansea. It is an electoral ward and a community in the unitary authority of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, comprising a resident population of just over 3,000 people, approximately 60% of whom...
Grammar School, followed by a spell at the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
starting in 1918, where he studied history and philosophy. In 1923 he was elected a Fellow of the university, allowing him to attend Oriel College, Oxford, where he was awarded a DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1928 for a dissertation titled "The history and value of the distinction between intellect and intuition".
Career
In 1926 he was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Swansea UniversitySwansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
. After the retirement of W. Jenkin Jones in 1932 Aaron was appointed to the chair of philosophy at Aberystwyth University where he settled, initially at Bryn Hir and later at Garth Celyn. Although his early publications focused on epistemology and the history of ideas, Aaron became fascinated with the work and life of John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
. The interest was sparked by his discovery of unresearched information in the Lovelace Collection, a collection of notes and drafts left by John Locke to his cousin Per King
Peter King, 1st Baron King
Peter King, 1st Baron King PC, FRS was an English lawyer and politician, who became lord chancellor of England.-Life:He was born in Exeter in 1669....
. In the collection he found letters, notebooks, catalogues, and, most exciting of all, an early draft of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, hitherto presumed missing. Aaron's research led to the 1937 publication of a book covering the life and work of Locke, which subsequently became to be considered the standard work for that subject. The proofs were read by Rhiannon Morgan, who Aaron married in 1937; they were happily married and had five children together.
Aaron produced several more books and articles, including a book in Welsh on the history of philosophy, Hanes athroniaeth—o Descartes i Hegel in 1932. He attempted to boost interest in philosophy in wales, and established a philosophy section of the University of Wales Guild of Graduates in 1932, a society which still exists and notably conducts all its proceedings in Welsh.
Other notable publications of his include the essay "Two senses of the word universal" (published in Mind
Mind (journal)
Mind is a British journal, currently published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Mind Association, which deals with philosophy in the analytic tradition...
in 1939) and "Our knowledge of universals" read to the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1945 and published in volume 23 of its Proceedings
Proceedings of the British Academy
The Proceedings of the British Academy is a peer-reviewed academic journal. The publication consists of conference proceedings and lectures, and several of the individual volumes have their own unique titles. Articles from volume 51 onwards are available as PDF files for members, with the first...
. As shown in his work Aaron had an intense fascination with the idea of a Universal
Universal (metaphysics)
In metaphysics, a universal is what particular things have in common, namely characteristics or qualities. In other words, universals are repeatable or recurrent entities that can be instantiated or exemplified by many particular things. For example, suppose there are two chairs in a room, each of...
, which culminated in his 1952 book The Theory of Universals. In this book he attacks the notion of universals as Platonic forms
Platonic realism
Platonic realism is a philosophical term usually used to refer to the idea of realism regarding the existence of universals or abstract objects after the Greek philosopher Plato , a student of Socrates. As universals were considered by Plato to be ideal forms, this stance is confusingly also called...
, but is equally critical of Aristotelian
Aristotle's theory of universals
Aristotle's theory of universals is one of the classic solutions to the problem of universals. Universals are simply types, properties, or relations that are common to their various instances. In Aristotle's view, universals exist only where they are instantiated; they exist only in things , never...
realism about essences, as he is also of nominalism
Nominalism
Nominalism is a metaphysical view in philosophy according to which general or abstract terms and predicates exist, while universals or abstract objects, which are sometimes thought to correspond to these terms, do not exist. Thus, there are at least two main versions of nominalism...
and conceptualism
Conceptualism
Conceptualism is a philosophical theory that explains universality of particulars as conceptualized frameworks situated within the thinking mind. Intermediate between Nominalism and Realism, the conceptualist view approaches the metaphysical concept of universals from a perspective that denies...
as theories of universals.
Between 1952 and 1953 Aaron was invited to be Visiting Professor at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, In 1956, where was able to study the third draft of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
First appearing in 1690 with the printed title An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke concerns the foundation of human knowledge and understanding. He describes the mind at birth as a blank slate filled later through experience...
at the Pierpont Morgan Library, which resulted in a substantial addition to the second edition of John Locke, published in 1955, a year where he was also made a Member of the British Academy and President of the Mind Association. In 1956 when the annual lecture hosted by the Aristotelian Society
Aristotelian Society
The Aristotelian Society for the Systematic Study of Philosophy was founded at a meeting on 19 April 1880, at 17 Bloomsbury Square which resolved "to constitute a society of about twenty and to include ladies; the society to meet fortnightly, on Mondays at 8 o'clock, at the rooms of the Spelling...
and the Mind Association (who published the journal mind) was hosted in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Aaron was invited to give the inaugural lecture. In 1957 he was made president of the Aristotelian Society.
In 1967 he published a second edition of The Theory of Universals, with a new preface, several new additions and several rewritten chapters. In 1971 he published both a third edition of his Locke biography and the book Knowing and the Function of Reason, which includes a wide-ranging discussion of the laws of non-contradiction
Law of noncontradiction
In classical logic, the law of non-contradiction is the second of the so-called three classic laws of thought. It states that contradictory statements cannot both at the same time be true, e.g...
, excluded middle
Law of excluded middle
In logic, the law of excluded middle is the third of the so-called three classic laws of thought. It states that for any proposition, either that proposition is true, or its negation is....
, identity
Law of identity
In logic, the law of identity is the first of the so-called three classic laws of thought. It states that an object is the same as itself: A → A ; While this can also be listed as A ≡ A this is redundant Any reflexive relation upholds the law of identity...
, of the use of language in speech and thought, and of substance
Substance theory
Substance theory, or substance attribute theory, is an ontological theory about objecthood, positing that a substance is distinct from its properties. A thing-in-itself is a property-bearer that must be distinguished from the properties it bears....
and causality
Causality
Causality is the relationship between an event and a second event , where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first....
.
After retiring in 1969, he taught for one semester at Carlton College in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
before returning to Wales. While at home he helped write articles for the 1974 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. He eventually began to feel the effects of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, and died at home on March 29, 1987.
Selected works
- The Nature of Knowing (1930)
- Hanes Athroniaeth (1932) - a history of philosophy, in Welsh
- John Locke (1937)
- The Theory of Universals (1952)
- Knowing and the Function of Reason (1971)