Henry Silton Harris (11 April 1926 – 13 March 2007) was a British-Canadian philosopher, having been a Distinguished Research Professor at York University.
He was Glendon College's Academic Dean from 1967 to 1969, elected a Fellow in Royal Society of Canada in 1988 and was also given an Honorary Doctor of Letters from York in 2001. In 2001, he was also inducted into York University's Founders' Honour Society in recognition of his contribution to York's early development.[1][2]
Harris was known for his collegiality, and he was a frequent collaborator on a variety of translation projects. He was "the keystone" of a group who gathered at Trinity College, Toronto, to translate the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.[3]
At the time of his death, Harris was working on manuscripts on pre-Platonic philosophy, Plato, Dante, Goethe, Blake, and Hegel—and a large collection of articles on philosophy and literature.[2]
Hegel scholarship
Although Harris came to Hegel late in his career, once he did "his attention to detail was exceptional": "Hegel’s Development: Toward the Sunlight 1770–1801 explored every text from Hegel’s early years, and showed both their internal logic but also how each one contributed to the need to push further. It has become the standard reference work on that period of Hegel’s life."[3] The same would be true of its sequel, Hegel’s Development: Night Thoughts (Jena 1801–1806).
Harris's next major project, a two-volume commentary on The Phenomenology of Spirit, Hegel's Ladder (vol. 1, The Pilgrimage of Reason, and vol. 2, The Odyssey of Spirit), was likewise received with critical acclaim. Introducing a collection of essays on the Phenomenology dedicated to H. S. Harris, Kenneth R. Westphal writes,
Hegel's Ladder is a landmark. Hegel's texts are notoriously rich, compressed, systematic, and rife with allusions. Harris identified a wealth of Hegel's profuse sources and shows why and how Hegel used them; his commentary demonstrates the decompression and detailed explication Hegel's text deserves and requires.[4]
In the words of George di Giovanni, "for wealth of historical detail and accuracy of insight, there is nothing comparable in any language to this latest commentary of the Phenomenology of Spirit."[5]
By his own account, Harris's effort to "make Hegel speak English" was greatly indebted to his ongoing engagement with the philosophy of David Hume.[6]
References
^"Distinguished Research Professors". yorku.ca. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
^ ab"Manuscript". yorku.ca. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
^ abcBurbidge, John (2006–2007). "H. S. Harris (1926–2007)". The Owl of Minerva. 38 (1–2): 3–4.
^Westphal, Kenneth R. (2009) "Introduction." The Blackwell Guide to Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit", p. xxv.
^di Giovanni, George (2000). "Factual Necessity: On H. S. Harris and Weltgeist". The Owl of Minerva. 31 (2): 131.
^Burbidge, John. 1997. "Forward: Hegel, Hume, and Harris." In Hegel and the Tradition: Essays in Honour of H.S. Harris Ed. John Russon and Michael Baur, University of Toronto Press, pp.ix-xv.
External links
Repository of H.S. Harris's manuscripts at York University.
This biography of a Canadian philosopher is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
henry, silton, harris, april, 1926, march, 2007, british, canadian, philosopher, having, been, distinguished, research, professor, york, university, harrisborn11, april, 1926brighton, englanddied13, march, 2007british, columbiaalma, materoxford, universityuniv. Henry Silton Harris 11 April 1926 13 March 2007 was a British Canadian philosopher having been a Distinguished Research Professor at York University H S HarrisBornHenry Silton Harris11 April 1926Brighton EnglandDied13 March 2007British ColumbiaAlma materOxford UniversityUniversity of Illinois at Urbana ChampaignOccupationPhilosopherInstitutionsUniversity of IllinoisOhio State UniversityYork UniversityThesisThe Social Philosophy of Giovanni Gentile 1954 Doctoral advisorMax H FischMain interestsHegelGiovanni GentileHe is best known for his work on the intellectual development of G W F Hegel and for his writings and commentary upon The Phenomenology of Spirit Contents 1 Biography 2 Hegel scholarship 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditBorn in Brighton England Harris received a BA 1949 in classics and philosophy from University of Oxford and an MA 1952 and PhD 1954 at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign He taught at the University of Illinois and Ohio State University and in 1962 joined York University where he was eventually made Distinguish Research Professor in 1984 He was Glendon College s Academic Dean from 1967 to 1969 elected a Fellow in Royal Society of Canada in 1988 and was also given an Honorary Doctor of Letters from York in 2001 In 2001 he was also inducted into York University s Founders Honour Society in recognition of his contribution to York s early development 1 2 Harris was known for his collegiality and he was a frequent collaborator on a variety of translation projects He was the keystone of a group who gathered at Trinity College Toronto to translate the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel 3 He was also Honorary President of the Hegel Society of Great Britain 3 At the time of his death Harris was working on manuscripts on pre Platonic philosophy Plato Dante Goethe Blake and Hegel and a large collection of articles on philosophy and literature 2 Hegel scholarship EditAlthough Harris came to Hegel late in his career once he did his attention to detail was exceptional Hegel s Development Toward the Sunlight 1770 1801 explored every text from Hegel s early years and showed both their internal logic but also how each one contributed to the need to push further It has become the standard reference work on that period of Hegel s life 3 The same would be true of its sequel Hegel s Development Night Thoughts Jena 1801 1806 Harris s next major project a two volume commentary on The Phenomenology of Spirit Hegel s Ladder vol 1 The Pilgrimage of Reason and vol 2 The Odyssey of Spirit was likewise received with critical acclaim Introducing a collection of essays on the Phenomenology dedicated to H S Harris Kenneth R Westphal writes Hegel s Ladder is a landmark Hegel s texts are notoriously rich compressed systematic and rife with allusions Harris identified a wealth of Hegel s profuse sources and shows why and how Hegel used them his commentary demonstrates the decompression and detailed explication Hegel s text deserves and requires 4 In the words of George di Giovanni for wealth of historical detail and accuracy of insight there is nothing comparable in any language to this latest commentary of the Phenomenology of Spirit 5 By his own account Harris s effort to make Hegel speak English was greatly indebted to his ongoing engagement with the philosophy of David Hume 6 References Edit Distinguished Research Professors yorku ca Retrieved February 4 2017 a b Manuscript yorku ca Retrieved February 4 2017 a b c Burbidge John 2006 2007 H S Harris 1926 2007 The Owl of Minerva 38 1 2 3 4 Westphal Kenneth R 2009 Introduction The Blackwell Guide to Hegel s Phenomenology of Spirit p xxv di Giovanni George 2000 Factual Necessity On H S Harris and Weltgeist The Owl of Minerva 31 2 131 Burbidge John 1997 Forward Hegel Hume and Harris In Hegel and the Tradition Essays in Honour of H S Harris Ed John Russon and Michael Baur University of Toronto Press pp ix xv External links EditRepository of H S Harris s manuscripts at York University This biography of a Canadian philosopher is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Silton Harris amp oldid 1132626647, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
