THE CHAIR OF PHILOSOPHY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21976, 28 December 1936, Page 3

THE CHAIR OF PHILOSOPHY

Correspondents who do not comply with our rules set out in the last column of our Leader Page will excuse us from noticing their letters. M.H,—Tuesday.

TO THE EDITOB Or THE PRESS. Sir, —I think everyone will agree; even the Presbyterians, that the Canterbury College Council, aided by the English selection committee, has filled the recent vacancies in the departments of philosophy and education wisely. There is a great deal of satisfaction in finding that our distinguished New Zealand graduates who have done good work abroad should receive New Zealand appointments, so we welcome the appointment of Dr. Field and Dr. Sutherland. Any regrets that anyone might have that no Homeland person was chosen will be satisfied in the appointment of Dr. Popper, the distinguished Austrian philosopher, to the lectureship. Apart from his worth, we in New Zealand have done little enough for the European refugees, and the college is to be congratulated on this act of friendship. May I suggest that one further thing remains. We understand Dr, Popper will lecture in the subjects usually known as making up “pure” philosophy as distinct from psychology, and also probably in logic and ethics. It is also understood that the English committee bracketed him equal with Dr. Sutherland for the chair. Such being the case, it would surely be a gracious act for the college to offer him a little more salary and designate him at least an associate professor, with a prospect of a full professorship when resources allow and when the subject of metaphysics has been separated from psychology in the syllabus for degrees. May I ask my Presbyterian friends to use their influence to urge this courtesy, and so incidentally help the subject in which they are so much interested?— Yours, etc., GRADUATE. December 25, 1936.