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On Holding One's Time
in Thought (1997)
"Finally
the scholarship and penetrating political theory of W.J. Stankiewicz
is beginning to be appreciated in all its bright fullness. Credit
goes to the contributors to Holding One's Time in Thought and
its editors. Too original to be classified with the hackneyed
right, left and centre and other such pigeon-holes, Stankiewicz's
political philosophy advances from the classical tradition grandly
and humanely deep into contemporary territory, brushing aside
relativists and wannabee objectivists to plant a banner of individual
freedom and responsibility, authority and justice."
Sebastian
de Grazia (Pulitzer Prize winner),
author of Machiavelli in Hell (1989) and of the new book
A Country with No Name: Tales from the Constitution (1997)
"Professor W.J. Stankiewicz's intellectual universe includes
the best of Continental European and also North American cultural
traditions. His quest for a complete holistic interpretation of
Political Theory has inspired several generations of Canadian
students and also stimulated academic colleagues in breaking down
the barriers of professional over-specialisation. The assembled
critical scholarly essays capture the larger trans-cultural approach
that has characterised his teachings and writings."
Ted
McWhinney (Q.C.,S.J.D.,M.P. [Vancouver-Quadra],
Professor of History, Parliamentary Secretary [Foreign Affairs])
"Professor Stankiewicz has a good eye for hypocrisy in so
much of what passes for modern political philosophy and he has,
thankfully, had the weapon of humour to deal with it. Few others
have his perspicacity or perspicuity in challenging the popular
and the politically correct as is evident from the contributions
to this volume".
Dr.
Colin Vale
(formerly of the University of the Witwatersrand,
now Researcher for the Parliamentary Caucus of the IFP [Buthelezi's
Zulu party], South Africa)
"In trying to evaluate the political philosophy of W.J. Stankiewicz,
one is struck by the seamless integrity of it all. The positive
is seen in terms of the negative and vice versa. As one [commentator]
put it: 'By understanding what types of thought are prone to close
off thought altogether, one can try to do posterity a service.'
It is this service that defines the contribution of Stankiewicz
to political thought...
...throughout there shines through his wise and tenacious promotion
of one of the core ideas of the Western tradition: natural law.
Nature and reason, he argues, cannot suspend one another...The
two approaches...complement...one another. Reality is neither
synthetic not analytic but dialectic. For keeping this tradition
alive we owe Stankiewicz our gratitude and admiration."
A.
du P. Louw,
Professor of Political Science,
University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
From essays
in Holding One's Time in Thought
...to step back and take a long, careful look at the career of
WJS is to realize that he belongs in the category of 'scholar
prophet,' harboring a host of talents and approaches not easily
kept in harmony. For those who wish to try, WJS provides clearly
defined footsteps in which to tread."
(Alan
C. Cairns, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University
of British Columbia)
What is required, then, if authority is to survive into the next
century? ...Hannah Arendt and W.J. Stankiewicz point toward a
common answer - one which found its greatest articulation in the
works of St. Augustine. W must begin with the recognition that
it is the opposite of violence and coercive thought...
(Jean
Bethke Elshtain,
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics
at the Divinity School, The University of Chicago)
The hallmark of Stankiewicz's style id not the palpability of
language, but its limpidity. Language is not used in such a way
as to draw attention to itself. Nor is its transparency referential
in the descriptive, factual, concrete sense. In fact, WJS shuns
what he calls 'linear prose,' that is sentences which do not go
beyond 'actual' assertions...those that 'merely relate or repeat
information in an uncritical fashion'.
(Bogdan
Czaykowski,
Professor Emeritus of Polish/East European History and Literature,
University of British Columbia)
We are
presented with a fundamental moral crisis which derives from the
relativist's corrosive skepticism about the rational foundations
of public life - which really amounts to cynicism. That damaging
conviction derives from a misconstrued and simplistic - 'primitive'
- egalitarianism which is another subject which derives withering
criticism from WJS.
(Robert
H. Jackson, Professor of Political Science, Boston University)
The
most arresting conclusion of WJS's early writings is his belief
that the dangers of intolerance are ever present and that individual
liberty is at best a fragile achievement. Much the same conclusion
emerges from his later writings on toleration. The later writings,
however, move away from historical analysis and dissect the contemporary
world.
(Samuel
V. LaSelva,
Professor of Political Science University of British Columbia)
There are many turns and twists in the discussion of the three
political ideologies. Again and again, the author moves from one
mode of expression or level of analysis to another, with an accompanying
shift in perspective. In the process WJS keeps relating his key
concepts to one another, in a form of 'cross-referencing' that
brings out interconnections as well as distinctive differences
among them.
(Christian
Soe,
Professor of Political Science
at California State University, Long Beach)
Grand passion and love of ideas comprise the ground and force
of Stankiewicz's being as a political theorist. He not only commanded
a great spirit, but willed the means to do great things. I accord
him the highest honours because he pressed his whole being and
intellect into the service of political philosophy.
(Arpad
Kadarkay,
Professor of Political Science,
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA)
On WJS's
Aphorisms
"A fascinating and perceptive piece on one of the major
heresies of our time...an extraordinary beautiful job."
John
W. Holmes,
Director General, Canadian Institute of International Affairs
"A meditation whose format matches its content in elegance
and concision."
Roy
Daniells,
Professor of English,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
"This
is an unusual piece of work. In an age of quantification, this
production appears to want to constitute, in itself, a manifesto
of quality....Prof. Stankiewicz goes to war against everything
which empties political theory of its qualitative, traditional
philosophical substance."
Prof.
Albert Shalom,
Professor of Philosophy,
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
"In order to say it briefly and succinctly: the collection
of aphorisms is superb. The power of thought; the unbendable clarity
of formulation; the renunciation of any frills of vanity; "earnestness"
in the best sense of the word: all this makes reading difficult
(in Heideggerian sense) and yet weightlessly light like platonic
play. A great tradition (from Gracian over Schopenhauer to Canetti)
is being continued here and the aphorism (that in modern times
has frequently deteriorated to jocularity aimed at pleasing) is
countered here in Jottings with admirable, authentic power. A
deep book; an important book."
Peter
Loeffler,
Professor of Theatre,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
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