A New Critique of Theoretical Thought. Deel 1. The Necessary Presuppositions of Philosophy

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Foreword to the second (the English) edition

The first (Dutch) edition of this work, published in the years 1935 and 1936, has been long out of print. I am pleased to see that both in the Netherlands and in other countries the lively interest manifested in the philosophy expounded in it has necessitated a second edition, this time in the English language. To me as well as to the translators the new edition has given very difficult problems to solve.

Naturally, the evolution of my conceptions has not been at a standstill since 1936, so that on various points important additions and far-reaching alterations proved to be unavoidable. On the other hand, the book being designed as a rigorously self-contained whole, there was but little scope left for this revision. I had to restrict any changes to what was absolutely necessary, if I did not want to write an entirely new work. The same limitations also apply to the digestion of recent literature on the subject. Notwithstanding all these restraints, however, it proved to be inevitable to increase the volume of the original work considerably.

The translators were up against great difficulties in rendering the phrasing and unusual terminology of the Dutch text in correct, current English; they had to remain in contact with me throughout. The greatest difficulties, however, will have to be overcome in the next two volumes, which contain the positive exposition of the Philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea. I thank them sincerely for the devotion with which they have accomplished the translation of the first volume now published. In these thanks I want to include especially Mr H. de Jongste, who will be the co-translator, together with Mr Freeman, of volumes II and III, and who will draw up the Index of authors and subjects dealt with. He has already taken an intensely active share in the revision of the English text of the first volume.

Finally, I tender my sincerest thanks in the first place to the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Zuiver Wetenschappelijk Onder-

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zoek, whose considerable support in the form of a subsidy has made the revised edition of this voluminous work possible; and in the second place no less to my publishers H.J. Paris of Amsterdam and The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, who undertook substantial risks and have brought out such an excellently produced work.

The Author.

Amsterdam, July 1953.