Guide to the Papers of John Passmore, 1922-2004

Summary

Collection number:

MS 7613 et al

Creator:

Passmore, John and Passmore, Annie

Extent:

11.46 metres and (68 MS Boxes;6 cartons;1 small carton;6 Folio Boxes;1 Folder)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Passmore, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection documents aspects of Passmore's career from the 1930s to 1997, and includes extensive series of correspondence (personal, professional and family), together with writings, reviews, conference papers, awards and invitations related to his various academic and writing activities. Also featured in the papers are photographs, articles and speeches, interviews by or about Passmore and papers relating to a conference celebrating his career.

The strength of the collection lies in the correspondence and writings. The correspondence dates back to the 1930s and the earliest stages of Passmore's career as a teacher and English lecturer. Amongst the correspondents are philosophers, editors, writers and academics from other disciplines including English, science, history and political science. The letters reflect Passmore's philosophical concerns and the important figures with whom he was associated. He maintained correspondence with Karl Popper, Bertrand Russell, John Anderson, Alan K.Stout, Gilbert Ryle and many other philosophers.

The extensive series of Passmore's writings reflect his huge output and demonstrate what he describes as a 'desire to always press beyond the boundaries of philosophy'. His shorter pieces written as lectures or for academic journals and newspapers demonstrate the eclectic nature of his interests, ranging from art, film and literature to environmental ethics, science and politics.

Biographical Note:

Date	Event
1914	Born 9 September Manly, New South Wales
1918-28	Attended Manly Public School
1929-30	Attended Sydney Boys' High School
1931-34	Studied at University of Sydney obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, first class honours in Philosophy and English literature
1934	Publication of <em>T. S. Eliot</em> by the Literary Society, University of Sydney
1935-49	Successively Tutor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sydney
1936	Married Annie Doris Sumner
1940	Master of Arts, University of Sydney
1943	Member, Social Science Research Committee, Australian National Research Council
1947-50	Editor of the <em>Australasian journal of philosophy</em>
1950-54	Professor of Philosophy at Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand
1951	Publication of <em>Ralph Cudworth</em> by Cambridge University Press
1952	Publication of <em>Hume's intentions</em> by Cambridge University Press
1953	Member of the Institut International de Philosophe
1955	Reader of Philosophy, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
1956	Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Humanities
1956-75	Director of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
1957	Publication of <em>A hundred years of philosophy</em> by Duckworth and Co
1959	Professor of Philosophy, Australian National University
1960	Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Brandeis University
1961	Publication of<em> Philosophical reasoning</em> by Duckworth and co
1965	Awarded the Mackie Medal by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1965	Publication of <em>Introduction to Joseph Priestly</em> by Collier Books
1967-70	Visiting Scholar, Institute of Education, London
1970	Publication of <em>The perfectibility of man</em> by Duckworth and Co
1971	Visiting Fellow, Clare Hall, Cambridge, United Kingdom
1971	Fellow, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
1974	Publication of <em>Man's responsibility to nature</em> by Duckworth and Co
1974	Honorary Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Science
1974-77	President of the Australian Academy of Humanities
1975	Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy
1976	Gauss Lecturer, Princeton University; Gross Lecturer, Rutgers University
1977	Chairman, Committee of Enquiry into German universities for the International Council for the Future of Universities
1978	Publication of <em>Science</em> <em>and its critics</em> by Rutgers University Press
1978	Publication of The philosophy of teaching
1978	Visiting Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford
1978	Dawes Hick Lecturer, British Academy
1979	Foreign Member of the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters
1980	Publication of <em>The philosophy of teaching</em> by Duckworth and Co
1980	Tanner Lecturer, Cambridge University
1980-82	University Fellow in History of Ideas, Australian National University
1981	Boyer Lecturer for the ABC, presenting a series of discussions on the limits of government
1983-94	Visiting Fellow, History of Ideas, Australian National University
1983	Comte Lecturer, London School of Economics
1985	Publication of <em>Recent philosophers</em> by Duckworth and Co
1985-91	Visiting Distinguished Professor and General Editor, Bertrand Russell Project, McMaster University, Canada (part-time)
1991	Publication of <em>Serious art</em> by Duckworth and Co
1993	Awarded the Order of Australia for his contribution to philosophy
1993	Macrossan Lecture, University of Queensland
1995	Visiting Fellow in History, Australian National University
1997	Publication of <em>Memoirs of a semi-detached Australian</em> by Melbourne University Press

Collection Retrieval Advice:

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Provenance:

The philosopher John Passmore donated his papers to the National Library in two instalments in 1988 and March 1998 under the Taxation Incentive for the Arts Scheme, (renamed in 1997 as the Cultural Gifts Program.)

Indexed terms

Names:

Passmore, Annie

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1439378).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Passmore, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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