FOREWORD

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The present issue of Polanyiana continues publishing current studies on Michael Polanyi rather than Polanyi's original manuscripts or papers. While all essays presented analyse Polanyi's philosophy, they do so from different perspectives. Walter B .Gullick offers a broadly conceived view of two central notions of Polanyi's philosophy: reality and meaning. In this paper Dr Gullick examines his subject in the setting of general philosophy, i.e. without narrowing down his scope to the philosophy of science, the centre of Polanyi's intellectual interest. In contrast, Andy F. Sanders discusses fundamental issues in Polanyi's epistemology which have closer ties with the philosophy of science, while placing the main subjects of his study, traditionalism and dogmatism, in a wider philosophical context than that afforded by the philosophy of science. Dale Cannon disputes Sanders' approach, viz. that of assuming, first of all, that Polanyi had a 'fiduciary programme' and then interpreting Polanyi's work in the framework of such a programme. S.R. Jha offers a reconstruction of the term 'personal knowledge' and applies the results to a special field of science. The paper explains the significance of tacit knowing in medicine and offers a picture of its role in modern clinical practice.

The editors of Polanyiana wish to encourage the authors to follow this line and try to find applications of Polanyian philosophy in contemporary or past fields of the various sciences.

At the advice of Richard Allen, publisher of Appraisal, Polanyiana republishes Norman Sheppard's article, which gives a concise account of certain philosophical ideas developed by Michael Polanyi.

The present issue of the journal is special in that it launches a new section. Having received some notes from Polanyi's relatives (Mrs Barbara Striker and Dr Thomas Polanyi), the editorial board decided to publish their letters along with Judit Szapor's response to their notes, without any comment or correction. The editors wish to encourage readers' responses of this kind, i.e. letters aimed at correcting erroneous data, contributing to debates or discussions or simply voicing their remarks relating to papers.

In commemoration of our friend, William T. Scott, who recently passed away, the journal publishes an obituary written by Phil Mullins and Marty Moleski, S.J., which was published earlier in Tradition and Discovery. Added to this is the table of contents of the biographical monograph written by William Taussig Scott. The section is concluded by a letter written to Polanyiana by Ann Herbert

The editors hope both that the present issue of Polanyiana will offer readers an intellecutally appealing and pleasurable reading and that the papers it offers will inspire their readers to present Polanyiana with further materials to be published.

Budapest, September 1999

Gábor Palló