The Relevance of Royce

The Relevance of Royce is a collection of essays from contemporary philosophers engaged in exploring Josiah Royce's work with in light of contemporary philosophical concerns. The collection explores the wide range of Royce studies, treating such familiar themes as the conception of the individual and the community, the nature of religious faith, and his conception of loyalty. Several contributors focus on Royce's ethics as his chief contribution to philosophy. One addresses his importance for race theory, highlighting the confiict that has arisen in interpreting the significance of his various writings and utterances regarding race. Another considers how his theory of knowledge aligns with contemporary feminist epistemology. Some point to Royce's overcoming of Absolute Idealism as his most important achievement, whereas others say the Absolute is the key to understanding Royce's pragmatic metaphysics and ethics. One identifies his previously unrecognized importance as an earlier practitioner and infiuential figure for phenomenology. Two authors point to Royce's logical innovations as the reason for his relevance. The volume also includes John J. McDermott's Presidential Address from the first international Royce conference and a report on the intensive project to index the Royce papers housed at the Harvard University Archive. Contributors to this volume are: Kelly A. Parker, Jason Bell, John J. McDermott, Frank M. Oppenheim, Dawn Aberg, John Kaag, Dwayne Tunstall, Mathew A. Foust, Melissa Shew, Randall E. Auxier, Scott L. Pratt, Douglas R. Anderson, Jacquelyn Ann K. Kegley, Judith M. Green, Richard P. Mullin, Kara Barnette, and Mary B. Mahowald.