Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center
FAC.WHITE
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center
- Creator - Author
- White, Morton Gabriel, 1917-2016
- Creator
- White, Morton Gabriel, 1917-
- Title
- Morton G. White papers
- ID
- FAC.WHITE
- Date [bulk]
- Bulk, 1970-1987
- Date [inclusive]
- 1970-2010
- Extent
- 3.0 linear feet
- Language
- English
Biographical note
Morton White (1917-2016) was Professor in the School of Historical Studies from 1970 until his retirement in 1987. One of America’s most distinguished philosophers and historians of ideas, White broadened the scope of topics traditionally studied by philosophers, with incisive analysis in the realms of epistemology and social and political philosophy. In his philosophy of holistic pragmatism, he bridged the positivistic gulf between analytic and synthetic truth as well as that between moral and scientific belief. He maintained that philosophy of science is not philosophy enough, thereby encouraging the examination of other aspects of civilized life—especially art, history, law, politics, and religion—and their relations with science.
Born in New York City on April 29, 1917, White was influenced early on by his upbringing on the Lower East Side, where his father, Robert Weisberger, owned a shoe store frequented by neighborhood politicians. The daily exposure to lively exchanges of ideas and commentary inspired White to enroll at the age of fifteen at the City College of New York to study philosophy. After completing his bachelor’s degree, White was accepted as a graduate student at Columbia University in 1936, where he obtained his A.M. in 1938 and then his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1942.
At both City College and Columbia, he taught Western intellectual history, and even elementary physics, in addition to philosophy. From 1946–48, White was Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, after which he moved on to Harvard University, where he was Assistant Professor (1948–50) and subsequently Associate Professor (1950–53) and Professor (1953–70). While at Harvard, White also served as Chairman (1954–57) and Acting Chairman (1967–69) of the Department of Philosophy. He was a Member in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute in 1953–54, 1962–63 and in 1968.
White’s first appointment as a Member in 1953 was encouraged by the Institute’s then Director J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was seeking a scholar in American intellectual history. Oppenheimer and White had known each other from Harvard and had mutual admiration for each other’s work, despite their divergent views on analytic philosophy and related topics. White, in contrast to his philosopher colleagues at Harvard, publicly supported Oppenheimer as an “intellectual force for good” and appreciated the environment that he created for historians at the Institute. In his memoir, A Philosopher’s Story (1999), White remarked, “From the moment I first came to the Institute in 1953, I longed to be there forever. The idyllic surroundings, the conveniently close residential quarters, the company of distinguished colleagues, and ideal working conditions made it seem like an academic heaven.”
White’s work was acknowledged with many awards, fellowships and other honors during his lifetime, including the Woodbridge Prize in Philosophy (1943) and the Butler Medal in Philosophy (1961), both from Columbia University. He was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (1950–51) and was a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University (1959–60). He received an honorary L.H.D. degree from the City University of New York in 1975, and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Antiquarian Society, the American Council of Learned Societies and the American Philosophical Society.
Scope and Content
These files concern Morton G. White's administrative work as a Professor in the School of Historical Studies of the Institute for Advanced Study. Files consist primarily of correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports from the period 1970-1987.
The series of Administrative files include meeting minutes of IAS committees, correspondence with IAS administrators, topical files on land preservation, faculty pensions, and the Institute Club, and material related to Morton White's position as Executive Officer of the School of Historical Studies in 1972-1973, 1980-1981, and 1985-1986. Appointments and Faculty files include correspondence with IAS Faculty and applications for IAS membership, and primarily concern the selection of scholars for Faculty or Member positions at the Institute.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center November 3, 2016
Historical Studies-Social Science LibraryEinstein Drive
Princeton
NJ, 08540
609-734-8375
archives@ias.edu
Conditions Governing Use
IAS administrative files are closed to researchers until 30 years after their date of creation. Letters of reference are closed to researchers during the lifetimes of the author and subject of each letter.
At the request of the donor, the series "Appointments and Faculty files" is closed for a period of 15 years after the death of Morton G. White. These files will be available for research after May 27, 2031.
Related Materials
Separated Materials
An annotated photocopy of a manuscript written by Morton G. White and labeled "a running account of the troubles at IAS in 1973," accessioned as 2014.0003, was returned to Stephen White on October 31, 2016.
Morton White's teaching files, manuscripts, correspondence, and other material pertaining to his intellectual work and academic career are located in the Harvard University Archives.
Collection Inventory
IAS Administrative files 1970-2010 [bulk 1970-1987] 2.0 linear feet |
||||
| Box | ||||
|
Board of Trustees |
1 | |||
|
Board of Trustees: SHS Report 1985 |
1 | |||
|
Committee on office space for Emeriti |
1 | |||
|
Faculty Committee on Patents and Inventions |
1 | |||
|
Faculty Committees: Listing |
1 | |||
|
Faculty Liaison Committee: 1975 issue 1983-1984 |
1 | |||
|
Faculty-Trustee Committee on Governance |
1 | |||
|
Faculty minutes 1948-1961 |
1 | |||
|
Faculty minutes 1962-1970 |
1 | |||
|
Faculty minutes 1971-1987 |
1 | |||
|
Faculty minutes 1997-2002 |
1 | |||
|
Institute Lands Preservation |
1 | |||
|
Review Committee |
1 | |||
|
Reports of Committees to Visit the Schools 1981-1986 |
1 | |||
|
School of Natural Sciences: Miscellaneous |
1 | |||
|
Search Committee - Director 1990 |
1 | |||
|
Search Committee: New director 1986 |
1 | |||
|
Search Committee: New director 1976 |
1 | |||
|
Visiting Committee of School of Historical Studies |
1 | |||
|
Trustee: Stewart, Zeph |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: General and Miscellaneous |
1 | |||
|
Gernhardt, Roberta (Personnel Officer) |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence - Goldberger, Marvin, Dr. |
1 | |||
|
Gray, Mrs. Rachel |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence - Griffiths, Phillip A. |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: Labalme, P. |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: Rowe, A. |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: Stewart, Prof. Zeph |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: Woolf, H. |
1 | |||
|
Correspondence: Woolf, H. re: Word processor |
1 | |||
|
AMIAS (Association of Members of IAS) |
1 | |||
|
Annual Report |
1 | |||
|
Faculty Appointments: Other schools |
1 | |||
|
By-laws and Rules of Governance |
1 | |||
|
Financial |
1 | |||
|
Government of IAS and Information re: other places |
1 | |||
|
IAS, History of |
1 | |||
|
Information: Housing, maps, IAS booklet, etc. |
1 | |||
|
Institute Club |
1 | |||
|
Applications forms and rules: US and foreign |
2 | |||
|
Visiting Committee, School of HS December 1982 |
2 | |||
|
Executive Officer (MW) 1985-1986 (Spring Term) |
2 | |||
|
Executive Officer (MW) 1980-1981 |
2 | |||
|
Executive Officer (MW) 1972-1973 |
2 | |||
|
Financial: SHS |
2 | |||
|
Financial: Members' Stipends |
2 | |||
|
Historical Library |
2 | |||
|
Proposal for a School of Philosophy 1987 |
2 | |||
|
School Administrative Officer - SHS |
2 | |||
|
SHS minutes - general |
2 | |||
|
MW oral history 2010 |
2 | |||
|
Supplementary information and Duplicate Copies of Material - Faculty Minutes |
2 | |||
|
Report of the Review Committee 1987 |
2 | |||
|
HS Minutes 1948-1969 |
2 | |||
|
HS Minutes 1970-1976 |
2 | |||
|
HS Minutes 1977-1997 |
2 | |||
|
HS minutes 1998-2007 |
2 | |||
|
Faculty pension policy |
2 | |||
|
Faculty Annual Reports |
2 | |||
|
Research Associates and Assistants |
2 | |||
|
Secretary: Rose Murray |
2 | |||
|
Secretary: Schuckmann, Felicia R. |
2 | |||
|
Secretary: Schuckmann Gluck, Laura |
2 | |||
|
Secretary: Tobias, Ann |
2 | |||
|
Secretary: Kan, Athene |
2 | |||
Appointments and Faculty files 1970-1987 1.0 linear feet |
||||
| Box | ||||
|
Standing Committee on Appointments Spring 1985 |
3 | |||
|
Bowersock, Glen W. 1980 |
3 | |||
|
Bowersock, Glen W. 1975 |
3 | |||
|
Caroline Bynum |
3 | |||
|
Clagett, Marshall |
3 | |||
|
Constable, Giles |
3 | |||
|
Crone, Patricia |
3 | |||
|
Dyson, Freeman |
3 | |||
|
Elliott, John |
3 | |||
|
Gilbert, Felix |
3 | |||
|
Gilliam, James |
3 | |||
|
Habicht, Christian |
3 | |||
|
Hirschman, Albert |
3 | |||
|
Kennan, George |
3 | |||
|
Lavin, Irving |
3 | |||
|
Lewis, Bernard (long-term) |
3 | |||
|
Margalit, Avishai |
3 | |||
|
Meiss, Millard |
3 | |||
|
Paret, Peter |
3 | |||
|
Setton, Kenneth |
3 | |||
|
Thompson, Homer |
3 | |||
|
Applications 1986/1987 |
3 | |||
|
Applications 1987/1988 |
3 | |||
|
Applications 1985/1986 |
3 | |||
|
Applications 1984/1985 |
3 | |||
|
Applications: 1983/1984 Meeting on Membership Dec. 13, 1982 |
3 | |||
|
Faculty appointments: Material on candidates |
3 | |||
|
Andrew W. Mellon Chair |
3 | |||
|
Committee on the Appointment of the Andrew W. Mellon Professorship in the School of Historical Studies (2 folders) |
3 | |||
|
Committee of the Whole (Appointment in Medieval Studies): Documents on Nomination of Mayer March 16, 1984 |
3 | |||
|
Committee of the Whole (Appointment in Medieval Studies) |
3 | |||
|
Constable, Giles (Committee of the Whole: Appointment in Medieval Studies) |
3 | |||
|
Medieval Studies Candidates |
3 | |||
|
Correspondence: General and former applications |
3 | |||
|
Mellon Professorships: Permanent/visiting memberships |
3 | |||
|
Visiting Members |
3 | |||