Colin Murray Turbayne (7 February 1916 – 16 May 2006) was an Australian philosopher and an internationally recognized authority on the writings of
George Berkeley. He spent most of his thirty five year academic career at the
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees.
The University of Roc ...
and was noted as the author of the book ''The Myth of Metaphor''.
Biography
Early life
Turbayne was born on February 7, 1916, in the rural town of
Tanny Morel in
Queensland
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, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, Australia.
[''Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers'' Shook, John. 2005 Biography of Colin Murray turbayne on Google Books](_blank)
/ref> His father David Livingston Turbayne was a banker and his mother Alice Eva Rene Lahey was descended from an early pioneer family in Queensland.
Colin received his earliest education at the Church of England Grammar School in Brisbane, where he distinguished himself as both a cricketer and Head Prefect. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = B ...
in Brisbane, Australia in 1940 as well as an MA degree in 1946. During World War II he worked for Australian Intelligence in the Pacific War theatre and served as Chief of Staff for Australian Intelligence to Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
in several pacific theatres.[''In Memorium: Colin Murray Turbayne'' Paul J. Olscamp - President Emeritus Bowing Green State University "Berkely Newsletter" on berkelystudies.philosophy.fsu](_blank)
/ref>
in 1940 he married Ailsa Krimmer and subsequently raised a family of two boys: Ron and John. They remained happily married for fifty-one years until her death in 1992.[''In Memorium: Colin Murray Turbayne'' Paul J. Olscamp - President Emeritus Bowling Green State University "Berkely Newsletter" on berkelystudies.philosophy.fsu](_blank)
/ref>
Academic studies
After emigrating to the United States following the conclusion of World War II in 1947, he undertook graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1950 he earned both his MA and PhD degrees in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.
His PhD. dissertation at the University of Pennsylvania ''Constructions Versus Inferences in the Philosophy of Bertrand Russell'' focused on the philosophical works of the British philosopher and logician
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British mathematician, philosopher, logician, and public intellectual. He had a considerable influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, linguistics, ...
(1950). His MA dissertation at the University of Queensland focused on ''Berkeley's philosophy as embodied in his Commonplace book''(1947).
Following the completion of his advanced studies, Turbayne acquired his first academic post as an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
. He remained on the faculty from 1950 until 1955. Subsequently, he served as an assistant professor of speech at the University of California at Berkley from 1955 until 1957. Soon thereafter, he was appointed as an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Rochester
The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees.
The University of Roc ...
in 1957. A short time later in 1962, he was promoted to Full Professor of Philosophy and continued to teach at the University of Rochester until his appointment to Professor Emeritus in 1981.
Academic works
In addition to serving as a lecturer, Turbayne was a noted authority and researcher on the philosophical insights of George Berkeley. Over the years, he edited several of Berkeley's works and essays, while helping to sustain interest in Berkeley's works during the mid twentieth century. In addition, he was the first commentator to recognize the central importance of metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wit ...
in the philosophy of Berkeley. He is best known for his book ''The Myth of Metaphor'' which was published in 1962 by Yale University Press.[''Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers'' Shook, John. 2005 Biography of Colin Murray Turbayne on Google Books](_blank)
/ref> A critical reviewer described the work as a "welcome addition to the analysis of metaphorical language".
In his book, Turbayne argues that metaphor would necessarily occur in any language that could ever claim to embody richness and depth of understanding. In addition, he provides a critical analysis of the simplistic Cartesian Cartesian means of or relating to the French philosopher René Descartes—from his Latinized name ''Cartesius''. It may refer to:
Mathematics
*Cartesian closed category, a closed category in category theory
*Cartesian coordinate system, modern ...
and Newtonian depictions of the universe as little more than a "machine" - a concept which underlies much of the scientific materialism
Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materiali ...
which prevails in the modern Western world.[ He also provides evidence that the philosophical concept of "material substance" or "]substratum
In linguistics, a stratum (Latin for "layer") or strate is a language that influences or is influenced by another through contact. A substratum or substrate is a language that has lower power or prestige than another, while a superstratum or sup ...
" has limited meaning at best and that modern man has unknowingly fallen victim to an unnecessary literal interpretation of one of many potentially beneficial metaphorical models of the universe.[''Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers'' Shook, John. 2005 p. 2451 Biography of Colin Murray Turbayne on Google Books](_blank)
/ref>[
Another central theme of ''The Myth of Metaphor'' is Turbayne's analysis of Berkelely's theory of vision and his theory of space as compared to Newtonian mechanics. Through careful analysis, Turbayne demonstrates that Berkeley's "language metaphor" provides a more convincing explanation of various natural phenomena including: the Barrovian case, the case of the horizontal moon and the case of the inverted retinal image.]
Turbayne also provides a detailed review of Berkeley's effort to dispel the confusing use of metaphorical language in the description of the mind and in the description of ideas in general through the misuse of hypotheses which were initially developed to explain such occurrences in the physical world. As a result, Turbayne has been described as one of the leading interpreters of Berkeley's theories of vision and relative motion as well as Berkeley's relationship to both Kant and Hume.
In his final book ''Metaphors for the Mind: The Creative Mind and Its Origins'' (1990), Turbayne illustrates the manner in which historical traditions in philosophical thought have contributed to accepted modern theories of human thought in general and theories of language in particular. Turbayne provides an in depth review of the early philosophical writings of both Plato and Aristotle, while illustrating the manner in which Platonic metaphors have influenced the works of both Berkeley and Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and ...
. In addition, he demonstrates the manner in which Plato's procreation model as outlined within his '' Timeus'' has influenced modern theories of thought and language. He concludes by attempting to restore the original model which describes a mind in which both the female and male hemispheres function in concert to participate in the act of creation. A critical reviewer of the book noted that it contains interesting material which is likely to both provoke and surprise its readers. In addition, it has been described as presenting a contribution to the modern philosophical debate concerning relativism
Relativism is a family of philosophical views which deny claims to objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assessed. Ther ...
and philosophical realism
Philosophical realism is usually not treated as a position of its own but as a stance towards other subject matters. Realism about a certain kind of thing (like numbers or morality) is the thesis that this kind of thing has ''mind-independent exi ...
.
Turbayne has been described as being convinced of Phenomenalism
In metaphysics, phenomenalism is the view that physical objects cannot justifiably be said to exist in themselves, but only as perceptual phenomena or sensory stimuli (e.g. redness, hardness, softness, sweetness, etc.) situated in time and in ...
, as well as being skeptical of the validity of Materialism
Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materiali ...
. In addition, he has been cited as supporting the view that metaphors are properly characterized as "categorical mistakes" which may lead an unsuspecting user to considerable obfuscation of thought.
In the early 1990s Colin M. Turbayne and his wife established an International Berkeley Essay Prize competition in cooperation with the Philosophy Department at the University of Rochester in order to encourage continued research into Berkeley's works by aspiring young scholars.
Notable students of Colin Murray Turbayne include: Paul J. Olscamp - President Emeritus Bowling Green State University & Western Washington University.
Honours
During his long academic career Turbayne was a noted Fulbright Fellow
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
as well as the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1965[''In Memorium: Colin Murray Turbayne'' Paul J. Olscamp "Berkely Newsletter" on berkelystudies.philosophy.fsu](_blank)
/ref> In 1959 and 1966 he was the recipient of grants from the American Council of Learned Societies
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
for his contributions to their project on the linguistic structure of the mind. In 1979 he was honored as a Senior Fellow by the National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
(NEH). In addition, he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...
. He was cited in Marquis' ''Who's Who in the World, 1982-1983.'' as well as ''Who was Who in America'' in 2010.
Turbayne's philosophical lectures at the University of Rochester were often punctuated with illustrative re-enactments of scenes from Shakespearian drama to illustrate his arguments. It was not at all unusual for him to appear before his students at lectures dressed in cloak and dagger quoting the moving scene from ''MacBeth'': "Is this a dagger that I see before me..?" in order to illustrate the use of metaphor. He was considered a master Socratic interrogator who gently guided his students to the proper conclusion. He was also noted for his skillful use of the ''reductio ad absurdum
In logic, (Latin for "reduction to absurdity"), also known as (Latin for "argument to absurdity") or ''apagogical arguments'', is the form of argument that attempts to establish a claim by showing that the opposite scenario would lead to absu ...
'' in his lectures. Standing ovations from his grateful students were commonplace throughout his long tenure at the university.
Death
Colin Murray Turbayne died on May 16, 2006, in Queensland, Australia at the age of 90. He was survived by his two sons and two grandchilden.
Publications
Texts
Included among Colin Murray Turbayne's publications are the following texts:
* ''Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous'' by George Berkeley, Editor Colin Murray Turbayne (1954)
* ''A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge'' by George Berkeley, Editor Colin Murray Turbayne (1957)
*''The Myth of Metaphor'' by Colin Murray Turbayne, with forewords by Morse Peckham and Foster Tait and appendix by Rolf Eberle. Columbia, S. C: University of South Carolina Press, 1970. Rev. of 1962 ed. Spanish ed., Fondo de Cultura Economica, Mexico, 1974. Reviewed by Paul J. Olscamp "The Philosophical Importance of С. M. Turbayne's The Myth of Metaphor." ''International Philosophical Quarterly
The ''International Philosophical Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal edited by a group of academics at Fordham University
Fordham University () is a private Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and n ...
'' 6 (1966): 110–31.
* ''Works on Vision'' by George Berkeley, Ed. Colin Murray Turbayne (1963)
* ''Principles, Dialogues and Philosophical Correspondence'' by George Berkeley, Ed. Colin Murray Turbayne (1965)
* ''Berkeley: Principles of Human Knowledge, Text and Critical Essays'' Ed. Colin Murray Turbayne (1970).
Reviewed by G. P. Conroy. ''Journal of the History of Philosophy
The ''Journal of the History of Philosophy'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal. It was established in 1963 after the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association passed a motion to this effect in 1957. The journal is publi ...
'' 9 (1971): 510–12; J. M. Beyssade. ''Études philosophiques'' 4 (1970):523-26.
*'' Berkeley: Critical and Interpretive Essays'', Ed. Colin Murray Turbayne (1982)
*
Journal articles
Selected peer-reviewed articles published by Colin Murray Turbayne include:
*"Berkeley and Russell on Space". ''Dialectica'' (1954):210-227
*"Kant's Refutation of Dogmatic Idealism". ''The Philosophical Quarterly'' (1955):225-224
*"The Influence of Berkeley's Science on his Metaphysics". ''Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
''Philosophy and Phenomenological Research'' (''PPR'') is a bimonthly philosophy journal founded in 1940. Until 1980, it was edited by Marvin Farber, then by Roderick Chisholm and since 1986 by Ernest Sosa. It considers itself open to a variety ...
'' (1956):476-87
*"Grosseteste and an Ancient Optical Principle". ''Isis'' (1959):467-72.
*"Berkeley's Two Concepts of Mind". ''Philosophy and Phenomenological Research''(1959):85-92 In this collection of essays, Turbayne's work comprised two papers that had been published in ''Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
''Philosophy and Phenomenological Research'' (''PPR'') is a bimonthly philosophy journal founded in 1940. Until 1980, it was edited by Marvin Farber, then by Roderick Chisholm and since 1986 by Ernest Sosa. It considers itself open to a variety ...
'':
** "Berkeley's Two Concepts of Mind"
**
*"A Bibliography of George Berkeley, 1933-1962". ''The Journal of Philosophy'' (1963):93-112
*"The Origin of Berkeley's Paradoxes". In Steinkraus, Warren E., ed. ''New Studies in Berkeley's Philosophy''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. Foreword by Brand Blanshard
Percy Brand Blanshard (; August 27, 1892 – November 19, 1987) was an American philosopher known primarily for his defense of reason and rationalism. A powerful polemicist, by all accounts he comported himself with courtesy and grace in philosop ...
. pp. 31–42.[''Berkeley: Critical and Interpretive Essays'' ed. Colin Murray Turbayne University of Minnesota Press, 1982 pp.328 on Google Books](_blank)
/ref>
*"Visual Language From the Verbal Model". ''Journal of Typographical Research'' (1969):345-370
*"Berkeley's Metaphysical Grammar". In Turbayne, Colin Murray. ''Berkeley, Principles ... Text and Critical Essays''(1970).pp. 3–36.
*"Visual Language". ''ECT'' (1971):51-58
*"A Bibliography of George Berkeley, 1963-1974" ''Journal of the History of Philosophy
The ''Journal of the History of Philosophy'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal. It was established in 1963 after the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association passed a motion to this effect in 1957. The journal is publi ...
'' (1977):83-95.
*"A Bibliography of George Berkeley 1963-1979". In Turbayne, Colin Murray, ed. ''Berkeley: Critical and Interpretive Essays''. Manchester, 1982 pp. 313–329
*"Hume's influence on Berkeley". ''Revue Internationale de Philosophie'' (1985):259-269
Professional affiliations
Colin Murray Turbayne was an active member of both the American Philosophical Association
The American Philosophical Association (APA) is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly ...
as well as the American Association of University Professors
The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States. AAUP membership includes over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations.
The AAUP's stated mission is ...
.
See also
George Berkely
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...
Epistemology
Epistemology (; ), or the theory of knowledge, is the branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge. Epistemology is considered a major subfield of philosophy, along with other major subfields such as ethics, logic, and metaphysics.
Episte ...
Philosophy of Language
In analytic philosophy, philosophy of language investigates the nature of language and the relations between language, language users, and the world. Investigations may include inquiry into the nature of meaning, intentionality, reference, ...
Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wit ...
References
External links
Berkeley Prize Winners
Colin Murray Turbayne's publications on JSTOR.org
Colin Murray Turbayne's publications on Google Scholar
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turbayne, Colin Murray
1916 births
2006 deaths
Australian emigrants to the United States
University of Pennsylvania alumni
University of Rochester faculty
George Berkeley scholars
20th-century Australian philosophers
American philosophy academics
Philosophy writers
Theorists on Western civilization
20th-century American philosophers
Philosophers of history
20th-century American essayists
Philosophers from New York (state)
Fellows of the National Endowment for the Humanities