Description
Book SynopsisThough it is not uncommon for historians to have something to say concerning philosophical strands in Jefferson's thought, that something is usually insubstantialoften misleadingly soor inchoate. Overall, precious little has been said. The significance of the man and the richness of his thought demands that this defect be remedied. Thomas Jefferson and Philosophy is a collection of nine new essays on philosophical elements in Jefferson's writings. The first of its kind, this collection should lead to further philosophical analysis of Jefferson's thinkingespecially by philosophers, who tend to appreciate Jefferson only as the author of the Declaration of Independenceand to greater appreciation for the man who gave to statesmanship a large number of the prime of his years out of a moral sense of duty to others. In that regard, Jefferson was always first a philosopher. This book will be a valuable read for students and scholars of history, political theory, and philosophy, as well as anyone interested in the thought of Thomas Jefferson.
Trade Review“This impressive collection of essays offers a good introduction to the central questions of Jefferson scholarship, seeking genuinely to understand his thought rather than only to judge the man by the standards of our own time.” -- Ari Helo, University of Oulu
Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: The Philosophical Trinity of Jefferson’s Political Theory Chapter 2: Thomas Jefferson: A Lawyer’s Path to a Legal Philosophy Chapter 3: Individual Liberty and Political Unity in an Expanding Nation: The Axiological Primacy of Wards in Jefferson’s Republican Schema Chapter 4: Thomas Jefferson’s Land Ethics Chapter 5: Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association: The Meaning of the Famous “Wall of Separation” Metaphor Chapter 6: Jefferson in Paris: Rewriting the Problems of Slavery, Slaveholding, Family, and Codependency Chapter 7: The Ultimate Defense of Liberty: Thomas Jefferson’s Philosophy of Education Chapter 8: The March of Morality: Making Sense of Jefferson’s Moral Sense Chapter 9: Thomas Jefferson’s Architectural and Landscape Aesthetics: Sources and Meaning About the Contributors
