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John Fiske (philosopher)

January 01, 1970

John Fiske (March 30, 1842 – July 4, 1901) was an American philosopher and historian. He was heavily influenced by Herbert Spencer and applied Spencer's concepts of evolution to his own writings on linguistics, philosophy, religion, and history.[1]

John Fiske
Born
Edmund Fiske Green

(1842-03-30)March 30, 1842
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedJuly 4, 1901(1901-07-04) (aged 59)
Gloucester, Massachusetts, U.S.
EducationHarvard University
Era19th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
Signature

Biography edit

John Fiske was born Edmund Fiske Green at Hartford, Connecticut, March 30, 1842. He was the only child of Edmund Brewster Green, of Smyrna, Delaware, and Mary Fiske Bound, of Middletown, Connecticut. His father was editor of newspapers in Hartford, New York City, and Panama, where he died in 1852, and his widow married Edwin W. Stoughton, of New York, in 1855.[2] On the second marriage of his mother, Edmund Fiske Green assumed the name of his maternal great-grandfather, John Fiske.

As a child, Fiske exhibited remarkable precocity. He lived at Middletown with his grandmother during childhood, and prior to his entering college he had read widely in English literature and history, had excelled in Greek and Latin work, and had studied several modern languages.[3] He then entered Harvard, and graduated from Harvard College in 1863 and from Harvard Law School in 1865. He was admitted to the bar in 1864, but only briefly practiced law.[4] His career as author began in 1861, with an article on "Mr. Buckle's Fallacies" published in the National Quarterly Review. Following his failure to earn enough money through law, he frequently contributed freelance articles to American and British periodicals.[2][4]

From 1869 to 1871, he was university lecturer on philosophy at Harvard, in 1870 instructor in history there, and assistant librarian 1872–1879. On resigning the latter position in 1879, he was elected a member of the board of overseers, and at the expiration of the six-year term was re-elected in 1885. Beginning in 1881, he lectured annually on American history at Washington University in St. Louis and beginning in 1884 held a professorship of American history at that institution, but continued to make his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He lectured on American history at University College London in 1879, and at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in 1880. He gave many hundreds of lectures, chiefly upon American history, in the principal cities of the United States and Great Britain.[2] Fiske was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1884.[5]

The largest part of his life was devoted to the study of history, but at an early age inquiries into the nature of human progress led him to a careful study of the doctrine of evolution, and it was through the popularization of Herbert Spencer's work that he first became known to the public.[2] He applied himself to the philosophical interpretation of Darwin's work and produced many books and essays on this subject. His philosophy was influenced by Herbert Spencer's views on evolution. In a letter from Charles Darwin to John Fiske, dated from 1874, the naturalist remarks: "I never in my life read so lucid an expositor (and therefore thinker) as you are."

 
"Professor John Fiske flies the evolution kite in America." – Daily Graphic, September 12, 1874.

Nineteenth-century enthusiasm for brain size as a simple measure of human performance, championed by scientists including Darwin's cousin Francis Galton and the French neurologist Paul Broca, led Fiske to believe in the racial superiority of the "Anglo-Saxon race". Fiske's beliefs on race did not preclude his commitment to abolitionist causes. Indeed, so anti-slavery was he that twenty-three years after the cessation of the American Civil War, he declared the North's victory complete "despite the feeble wails" of "unteachable bigots."[6] In his book "The Destiny of Man" (1884), he devotes a whole chapter to the "End of the working of natural selection upon man", describing it as "a fact of unparalleled grandeur." In his view, "the action of natural selection upon Man has [...] been essentially diminished through the operation of social conditions."

In books such as Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy (ISBN 0-384-15780-7), Fiske aimed to show that "in reality there has never been any conflict between religion and science, nor is any reconciliation called for where harmony has always existed." On page 364, he demonstrates his sensitivity to Christianity as a religion:

We arrive at a deeper reason than has hitherto been disclosed for the difference between our position with reference to Christianity, and that which has been assumed by Radicalism and by positivism. It is not merely that we refuse to attack Christianity because we recognize its necessary adaptation to a certain stage of culture, not yet passed by the average minds of the community; it is that we still regard Christianity as, in the deepest sense, our own religion.[7]

Fiske was a popular lecturer on these topics in his early career, and many of his books from the 1870s were first given to the public in the form of lectures or magazine articles, revised and collected under a general title.[3] Of these, in The Destiny of Man Viewed in the Light of his Origin (1884), he argues that intellectual force is a later, higher and more potent thing than bodily strength, leading to a moral and non-selfish line of thought. This intellect may or must be enduring, or at its best immortal. In The Idea of God as Affected by Modern Knowledge (1885), Fiske discusses the theistic problem, and declares that the mind of man, as developed, becomes an illuminating indication of the mind of God, which as a great immanent cause includes and controls both physical and moral forces.[8]

Later he turned to historical writings, publishing books such as The Discovery of America (1892). In addition, he edited, with James Grant Wilson, Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1887). He died, worn out by overwork, at Gloucester, Massachusetts, July 4, 1901.

Bibliography edit

General edit

 
Fiske late in life.
  • "Mr. Buckle's Fallacies" (1861)
  • The Progress From Brute to Man Online text from the North American Review 1871
  • Myths and Myth Makers (1872) ( )
  • Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy (1874)
  • The Unseen World (1876) ( )
  • Darwinism and Other Essays (1879; revised and enlarged, 1885)
  • Excursions of an Evolutionist (1883)
  • The Destiny of Man Viewed in the Light of his Origin (1884)
  • The Idea of God as Affected by Modern Knowledge (1885)
  • Origin of Evil (1899)
  • A Century of Science and Other Essays (1899)
  • Through Nature to God (1899)
  • Life Everlasting (the Ingersoll Lecture, 1901)

History edit

  • American Political Ideas Viewed from the Standpoint of Universal History (1885)
  • The Critical Period of American History, 1783–89 (1888) (Online publication)
 
The John Fiske Monument, Petersham.
  • The Beginnings of New England (1889)
  • The War of Independence, a book for young people (1889)
  • Civil Government of the United States (1890)
  • The American Revolution (two volumes, 1891)
  • The Discovery of America (two volumes, 1892) (Online publication)
  • A United States History for Schools (1895)
  • Old Virginia and her Neighbors (two volumes, 1897)
  • Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America (two volumes, 1899)[9]
  • The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War (1900)
  • Essays, Literary and Historical (1902)[10]
  • New France and New England (1902)[10]
  • A collection of his historical works appeared in 1912 as Historical Works (Popular Edition). It is in eleven volumes.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Berman, Milton (2000). "Fiske, John". American National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1400192.
  2. ^ a b c d Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "Fiske, John (author)" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.
  3. ^ a b Richardson 1911, p. 437.
  4. ^ a b Berman, Milton (1961). John Fiske: The Evolution of a Popularizer. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. pp. 55–57.
  5. ^ American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
  6. ^ Fiske, John. "Preface to the First Edition" of The Critical Period of American History (1888). Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1897, p. xi.
  7. ^ Fiske, John (April 2003). Outlines of cosmic philosophy part 4, Published 2003 Kessinger Publishing, page 364. Kessinger. ISBN 9780766155763.
  8. ^ Richardson 1911, p. 438.
  9. ^ "Review: Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America by John Fiske". The Athenæum (3767): 7–8. 6 January 1900.
  10. ^ a b "Review of Essays, Historical and Literary. 2 vols.—New France and New England by John Fiske". The Athenaeum (3940): 560–561. May 2, 1903.

References edit

Further reading edit

  • Berman, Milton (2000). "Fiske, John". American National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1400192.
  • Commager, Henry Steele (1936–41). "John Fiske: An Interpretation," Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Third Series, Vol. 66, pp. 332–345.
  • Sanders, J.B. (1930). "John Fiske," The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 264–277.
  • Saum, Lewis O. (1985). "John Fiske and the West," Huntington Library Quarterly, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 47–68.

External links edit

 
Wikisource has original works by or about:
John Fiske
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Fiske.

January 01, 1970
john, fiske, philosopher, john, fiske, march, 1842, july, 1901, american, philosopher, historian, heavily, influenced, herbert, spencer, applied, spencer, concepts, evolution, writings, linguistics, philosophy, religion, history, john, fiskebornedmund, fiske, . John Fiske March 30 1842 July 4 1901 was an American philosopher and historian He was heavily influenced by Herbert Spencer and applied Spencer s concepts of evolution to his own writings on linguistics philosophy religion and history 1 John FiskeBornEdmund Fiske Green 1842 03 30 March 30 1842Hartford Connecticut U S DiedJuly 4 1901 1901 07 04 aged 59 Gloucester Massachusetts U S EducationHarvard UniversityEra19th century philosophyRegionWestern philosophySignature Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 2 1 General 2 2 History 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBiography editJohn Fiske was born Edmund Fiske Green at Hartford Connecticut March 30 1842 He was the only child of Edmund Brewster Green of Smyrna Delaware and Mary Fiske Bound of Middletown Connecticut His father was editor of newspapers in Hartford New York City and Panama where he died in 1852 and his widow married Edwin W Stoughton of New York in 1855 2 On the second marriage of his mother Edmund Fiske Green assumed the name of his maternal great grandfather John Fiske As a child Fiske exhibited remarkable precocity He lived at Middletown with his grandmother during childhood and prior to his entering college he had read widely in English literature and history had excelled in Greek and Latin work and had studied several modern languages 3 He then entered Harvard and graduated from Harvard College in 1863 and from Harvard Law School in 1865 He was admitted to the bar in 1864 but only briefly practiced law 4 His career as author began in 1861 with an article on Mr Buckle s Fallacies published in the National Quarterly Review Following his failure to earn enough money through law he frequently contributed freelance articles to American and British periodicals 2 4 From 1869 to 1871 he was university lecturer on philosophy at Harvard in 1870 instructor in history there and assistant librarian 1872 1879 On resigning the latter position in 1879 he was elected a member of the board of overseers and at the expiration of the six year term was re elected in 1885 Beginning in 1881 he lectured annually on American history at Washington University in St Louis and beginning in 1884 held a professorship of American history at that institution but continued to make his home in Cambridge Massachusetts He lectured on American history at University College London in 1879 and at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in 1880 He gave many hundreds of lectures chiefly upon American history in the principal cities of the United States and Great Britain 2 Fiske was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1884 5 The largest part of his life was devoted to the study of history but at an early age inquiries into the nature of human progress led him to a careful study of the doctrine of evolution and it was through the popularization of Herbert Spencer s work that he first became known to the public 2 He applied himself to the philosophical interpretation of Darwin s work and produced many books and essays on this subject His philosophy was influenced by Herbert Spencer s views on evolution In a letter from Charles Darwin to John Fiske dated from 1874 the naturalist remarks I never in my life read so lucid an expositor and therefore thinker as you are nbsp Professor John Fiske flies the evolution kite in America Daily Graphic September 12 1874 Nineteenth century enthusiasm for brain size as a simple measure of human performance championed by scientists including Darwin s cousin Francis Galton and the French neurologist Paul Broca led Fiske to believe in the racial superiority of the Anglo Saxon race Fiske s beliefs on race did not preclude his commitment to abolitionist causes Indeed so anti slavery was he that twenty three years after the cessation of the American Civil War he declared the North s victory complete despite the feeble wails of unteachable bigots 6 In his book The Destiny of Man 1884 he devotes a whole chapter to the End of the working of natural selection upon man describing it as a fact of unparalleled grandeur In his view the action of natural selection upon Man has been essentially diminished through the operation of social conditions In books such as Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy ISBN 0 384 15780 7 Fiske aimed to show that in reality there has never been any conflict between religion and science nor is any reconciliation called for where harmony has always existed On page 364 he demonstrates his sensitivity to Christianity as a religion We arrive at a deeper reason than has hitherto been disclosed for the difference between our position with reference to Christianity and that which has been assumed by Radicalism and by positivism It is not merely that we refuse to attack Christianity because we recognize its necessary adaptation to a certain stage of culture not yet passed by the average minds of the community it is that we still regard Christianity as in the deepest sense our own religion 7 Fiske was a popular lecturer on these topics in his early career and many of his books from the 1870s were first given to the public in the form of lectures or magazine articles revised and collected under a general title 3 Of these in The Destiny of Man Viewed in the Light of his Origin 1884 he argues that intellectual force is a later higher and more potent thing than bodily strength leading to a moral and non selfish line of thought This intellect may or must be enduring or at its best immortal In The Idea of God as Affected by Modern Knowledge 1885 Fiske discusses the theistic problem and declares that the mind of man as developed becomes an illuminating indication of the mind of God which as a great immanent cause includes and controls both physical and moral forces 8 Later he turned to historical writings publishing books such as The Discovery of America 1892 In addition he edited with James Grant Wilson Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography 1887 He died worn out by overwork at Gloucester Massachusetts July 4 1901 Bibliography editGeneral edit nbsp Fiske late in life Mr Buckle s Fallacies 1861 The Progress From Brute to Man Online text from the North American Review 1871 Myths and Myth Makers 1872 Online publication Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy 1874 The Unseen World 1876 Online publication Darwinism and Other Essays 1879 revised and enlarged 1885 Excursions of an Evolutionist 1883 The Destiny of Man Viewed in the Light of his Origin 1884 The Idea of God as Affected by Modern Knowledge 1885 Origin of Evil 1899 A Century of Science and Other Essays 1899 Through Nature to God 1899 Life Everlasting the Ingersoll Lecture 1901 History edit American Political Ideas Viewed from the Standpoint of Universal History 1885 The Critical Period of American History 1783 89 1888 Online publication nbsp The John Fiske Monument Petersham The Beginnings of New England 1889 The War of Independence a book for young people 1889 Civil Government of the United States 1890 The American Revolution two volumes 1891 The Discovery of America two volumes 1892 Online publication A United States History for Schools 1895 Old Virginia and her Neighbors two volumes 1897 Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America two volumes 1899 9 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War 1900 Essays Literary and Historical 1902 10 New France and New England 1902 10 A collection of his historical works appeared in 1912 as Historical Works Popular Edition It is in eleven volumes See also editAmerican philosophy List of American philosophers Mount FiskeNotes edit Berman Milton 2000 Fiske John American National Biography Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 anb 9780198606697 article 1400192 a b c d Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1900 Fiske John author Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton a b Richardson 1911 p 437 a b Berman Milton 1961 John Fiske The Evolution of a Popularizer Cambridge Harvard University Press pp 55 57 American Antiquarian Society Members Directory Fiske John Preface to the First Edition of The Critical Period of American History 1888 Houghton Mifflin amp Co 1897 p xi Fiske John April 2003 Outlines of cosmic philosophy part 4 Published 2003 Kessinger Publishing page 364 Kessinger ISBN 9780766155763 Richardson 1911 p 438 Review Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America by John Fiske The Athenaeum 3767 7 8 6 January 1900 a b Review of Essays Historical and Literary 2 vols New France and New England by John Fiske The Athenaeum 3940 560 561 May 2 1903 References edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Fiske John 1842 1901 New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Richardson Charles Francis 1911 Fiske John In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 10 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 437 438 Fiske John 1884 The Destiny of Man Viewed in the Light of his Origin Macmillan reissued by Cambridge University Press 2009 ISBN 978 1 108 00513 5 Further reading editBerman Milton 2000 Fiske John American National Biography Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 anb 9780198606697 article 1400192 Commager Henry Steele 1936 41 John Fiske An Interpretation Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society Third Series Vol 66 pp 332 345 Sanders J B 1930 John Fiske The Mississippi Valley Historical Review Vol 17 No 2 pp 264 277 Saum Lewis O 1985 John Fiske and the West Huntington Library Quarterly Vol 48 No 1 pp 47 68 External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about John Fiske nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Fiske Works by John Fiske at Project Gutenberg Works by or about John Fiske at Internet Archive Works by John Fiske at Hathi Trust Works by John Fiske at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Fiske philosopher amp oldid 1198227522, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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