.jpg)
Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 13, No. 16. July 27, 1950
The Syllabus
The Syllabus
It seemed that his big gun for the evening was to take the form of an attack on the syllabus of the Philosophy Department, particularly in Stage 1. He had apparently read the 1919 syllabus and the books described therein. However the 1950 syllabus is the important one if any criticism is to be made. It points out that in addition to the prescribed texts, "further reading will be recommended for each class at the beginning of the session." He made an attack on Whitehead, which this year is not even on the Calendar. He then commenced an assault on Mum-ford's "Condition of Man." Edward Lee (Philosophy lecturer): "Mum-ford is not being used." Mr. K. O'Brien being present with a copy of the College Calendar but no knowledge of the Philosophy course, sought to settle the argument by reading the prescribed texts for the year, which included Mumford. A Stage 1 student asserted that at the beginning of the year Mr. Lee had contradicted the Calendar in this particular. This disposed of Father Duggan's 30 pages of quotes from Mumford.
| (a) | That the removal of Psychology from the Philosophy course was a good thing. |
| (b) | That anything published in the Pelican series is "not suitable as a textbook. It is intended for the general public." |
| (c) | "The syllabus is too ambitious. Traditional logic should be in Stage 1—in fact it should be a compulsory at University." |
| (d) | "I only hope the Middle Ages will get a fair hearing. There is danger of too much history of philosophy and not enough practical philosophy. The time of the 'as ifs' is over. We need "This is so.'" |