[Remembrance of Joseph Alexander Leighton, published in the Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, Vol. 28. (1954-55) pp. 63-64.]
Joseph Alexander Leighton
Joseph Alexander Leighton was graduated with high honors from Trinity College in Toronto in 1891 at the age of twenty. He then spent six years in graduate study, earning the degrees of Ph.D. at Cornell and S.T.B. at the Episcopal Theological Seminar in Cambridge. While in Cambridge he part
icipated in the seminars of William James and Josiah Royce. In 1896 and 1897, he studied at the Universities of Tübingen, Berlin and Erlangen.
From 1897 to 1910 he served with distinction at Hobart College in the dual roles of Chaplain and Professor of Philosophy. In 1910 He became head of the Department of Philosophy at the Ohio State University, where he served until his retirement in 1941. By his effective teaching and wise management he enabled the department to keep peace with the rapid growth of the University. In the formation of university policies he was a vigorous defender of the ideals of liberal education against the encroachments of premature specialization and narrow vocational interests. He was active on national committees of the American Association of University Professors. Especially in earlier years he often preached in various Episcopal parishes.
Early writings of Dr. Leighton are focused on metaphysical and theological problems, under the influence of Bosanquet, Royce and the German Idealists. The movement of his thought was away from the more subjectivistic and abstractly rationalistic aspects of idealism toward more objectivistic and empirical viewpoints. Man and the Cosmos, 1922, presents and defends his con
clusions in the field. His Field of Philosophy, 1918 and 1930, continues to be valuable as an elementary textbook, and has passed through numerous editions.
The second phase of Dr. Leighton’s thought was concerned with ethics and social philosophy. His volume of The Individual and the Social Order appeared in 1926 and his Social Philosophies in Conflict in 1937. The latter work was the fruit not only of wide reading and prolonged reflection but on-the-spot observations extending from Madrid to Moscow.
The third phase of Dr. Leighton’s thought was concerned with the broadest possible historical and comparative survey and interpretation of human cultures, stimulated by Spengler, Toynbee and the cultural anthropologists. After his retirement in 1941 he labored diligently in gathering and evaluating materials for an extensive work in this field to be entitled The Diversity of Cultures and the Unity of Mankind. Unfortunately his gradually failing eyesight prevented him from bringing this work to completion.
Dr. Leighton’s versatility of interests and zest for living were a marvel to his friends. He was fond of outdoor life and athletic competitions. In his youth he was a lacrosse player of championship caliber. In middle and later life he greatly enjoyed fishing and golf. In golf he enjoyed the physical activity, and test of skill, and the friendly competition, but he insisted that the game was essentially a solitary struggle with one’s own personality. He was fond of travel. His transcontinental and European tours made him familiar with many forms of landscape, Life, and culture.
From early days his philosophical and religious studies were supplemented by a love of poetry and a strong interest in biological science. He was a keen observer of politics and international affairs. He rejoiced in his Canadian and British background and was a loyal citizen of the United States, but his thought and sentiment were never parochial. Never a pacifist, never an isolationist, he was a staunch supporter of the League of Nations and the United Nations. Never an extreme individualist nor an extreme socialist, he strove to formulate and promote ideals of progressive democracy. As a teacher he was enthusiastic, thorough and stimulating, and encouraged free discussion. As a colleague he was friendly and considerate in personal relations, fearless and fair in controversy.
To an exceptional degree Dr. Leighton succeeded in developing and applying his varied talents to the service of his generation and oncoming generations.
- Albert R. Chandler