Objects of Enquiry: The Life, Contributions, and Influence of Sir William Jones (1746-1794) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0814715176 ISBN 13: 9780814715178

Publisher: NYU Press, 1995

Synopsis

Sir William Jones was a brilliant and engaged man of letters and law closely involved with the significant figures of Great Britain, America and India during the American Revolution and the early days of the Raj. He essentially introduced the Western world to Oriental peoples and cultures. To linguists, he is known as the founder of Indo-European linguistics. In the field of South Asian Studies, he is known as one of the early pioneers of Indology, and the founder of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. His translations of Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit poetry and drama are credited with having a major impact on the English romantic poets. Within the history of English jurisprudence, he is known for a classic treatise on the Law of Bailment, and his translations of key Hindu and Islamic legal treatises such as the Laws of Manu.

The world's foremost authorities on Sir William Jones reflect here on Jones's life and mind, contributions and influences. In Part One of this volume, the life and mind of Sir William Jones are explored by Garland Cannon and Rosane Rocher. In Part Two, Jones's contributions to linguistics, jurisprudence, history and natural science are presented by R.H. Robins, James Oldham, O.P. Kejariwal and Kenneth A.R. Kennedy. In Part Three, W.P. Lehmann examines Jones's influence in German-speaking areas in the nineteenth century, and David Kopf debates Jones's role in the hotly contested subject of British Orientalism.

About this title

About the Author

Garland Cannon is Professor of English and Linguistics at Texas A&M University, editor of The Letters of Sir William Jones, and author of the definitive biography, The Life and Mind of Oriental Jones.

Review

"Daniel Dreisbach's book is a welcome and much needed addition to the scholarship on the First Amendment. Dreisbach analysis of Jefferson's metaphor, its political context, and consequences for church-state jurisprudence, provide an intellectual perspective as the Court and nation reconsider issues of accomodations of religion in the public square."
-"Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies",

"On an evaluative note, the book is helpful for gaining an understanding of the historical context of Jefferson's metaphor."
-"Journal of Church and State",

"This book is vintage Dreisbach. . . . Anyone studying Jefferson's views of separation would be wise to use Dreisbach's primary texts and to ponder his sage interpretation of them. This is a book that can be read in an evening, but pondered for a career."
-John Witte Jr., Michigan Law Review

"Excellent introduction to the thorny interpretive issues that continue to grow around Jefferson's wall."
-"The Journal of Southern History",

"In the opinion of this reviewer, Dreisbach is undeniably correct. His research is thorough, and his analysis comports with the history of the period. Dreisbach's study of Jefferson's likely meaning when he utilized the phrase "wall of separation" makes a valuable contribution to an important area of the constitutional law, an area of great consequence to Christians. The fact that it is written by a law professor at a "top twenty" law school increases its significance and credibility in the scholar world. The book has a minimum of legal jargon and can easily be understood. Daniel Dreisbach's book is highly recommended."
-"Faith and Mission",

About this edition

• Publisher: NYU Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0814715176
• ISBN 13: 9780814715178
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 196
• Editor: Cannon Garland, Brine Kevin