The Philosophical Habit of Mind: Rhetoric and Person in John Henry Newman’s Dublin Writings by Angelo Bottone

Abstract

probably find this companion a bit overwhelming and occasionally incomprehensible; second, students seeking an introduction to Newman’s major writings will find them treated en passant in various chapters, but not thoroughly and systematically. Nonetheless, Newman aficionados seeking discussions of the major themes in his writings will find this collection an extraordinarily enjoyable “companion.” John T. Ford, c.s.c. The Catholic University of America,Washington, DC NEWMAN STUDIES JOURNAL 90 BOOk rEviEwS The Philosophical Habit of Mind: Rhetoric and Person in John Henry Newman’s Dublin Writings. By Angelo Bottone. Zeta Series in Christian Theology. Bucharest, Romania: Zeta Press, 2010. Pages: 7–247. Paper: ISBN 978–973–1997–61–2. $30.37; eBook: ISBN 978–973–1997–62–9. $12.38. In this work,Bottone sets out to demonstrate that Newman’s view of a university education is holistic,involving the integral formation of the whole person. According to Bottone, Newman is primarily concerned with the personal nature of university education. The main primary sources for his investigation are what he refers to as Newman’s “Dublin Writings.” By examining Newman’s idea of a university from the perspective of all of his Dublin Writings, Bottone hopes to avoid the limitations of those works that have studied Newman’s views on university education drawing only on The Idea of a University. In the first chapter, Bottone lists the works, published and unpublished, that he includes in the corpus of Newman’s Dublin Writings: The Idea of a University, Rise and Progress of a University, the Catholic University Gazette, articles in the Atlantis, Sermons Preached on Various Occasions, and My Campaign in Ireland. Bottone presents a brief, but succinct, summary of each of these works, placing each one in its historical context. The second chapter analyzes the influence of Aristotle, Cicero, and Locke on Newman’s Dublin Writings. Expressing a concern that the influence of Aristotle and Cicero on Newman’s notion of education has not been fully acknowledged by Newman scholars,Bottone offers evidence demonstrating that Newman was strongly influenced by both. The discussion of Locke focuses on Newman’s rejection of Locke’s moralistic, utilitarian approach to education. In chapter three, Bottone presents a summary of Newman’s view of the human person. He maintains that in the Dublin Writings Newman presents a holistic understanding of the human person that seeks to integrate the intellectual, moral, social, imaginative, artistic, and poetical dimensions of the person. Each of these is discussed in more detail in the chapter. Bottone seems to place special emphasis on 91 BOOK REVIEWS the artistic dimension, for he states that Newman was more of a man of arts than of reasoning or action (172). Newman’s distinction between the direct and indirect ends of a university is summarized is summarized in this chapter. Drawing upon the distinction between the direct and indirect ends of a university, Bottone, in chapter four, argues that Newman clearly intended to include the moral dimension as an end of university education. Although Newman saw the direct, and primary, end of the university to be intellectual, liberal knowledge— knowledge for its own sake—he did include the moral dimension as an indirect end. Newman’s notion of the gentleman also is discussed in this chapter. Bottone views Newman’s notion of the gentleman as the ideal of a liberal secular education,but not as Newman’s model for a Catholic university education. The goal of Catholic university education goes beyond the ideal of the gentleman, for it also includes the religious dimension, revelation and divine grace, and a relationship to the Catholic Church. According to Bottone the goal of Newman’s Catholic University in Ireland was the integration of all the dimensions of the human person within the context of the Catholic vision of faith. Newman’s view of a Catholic university liberal education envisioned the development and formation of the whole human person. In the fifth chapter, Bottone offers some reflections on the value of Newman’s view on university education. Although the institution of the Catholic University in Ireland was a failure,Bottone thinks that Newman’s ideas on university education still are relevant for today, particularly Newman’s...