Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from the Thelma Z. Lavine papers must be obtained from Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Thelma Z. Lavine papers, C0195, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Margaret V. Sachs in 2011.

Processing Information

Processed by Rachel Moran and Blyth McManus in November 2013. EAD markup completed by Blyth McManus in 2013.

Biographical Information

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 12, 1915, Thelma Z. Lavine taught philosophy for over 40 years, mostly at universities in the Washington, D.C. area. Her teaching career began after she received doctoral degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Harvard University in 1939. Prior to that, she completed an undergraduate degree at Radcliffe College in 1936. A popular lecturer, she taught at the University of Maryland in the 1950s and 1960s, then accepted a teaching position at George Washington University. She joined the faculty at George Mason University as a Robinson Professor in 1985 and taught there until she retired in 1998.

An active and well-respected philosophy professor, Lavine served in many organizations, including as president of the Washington Philosophy Club, on the Executive Committee of the Society for Advancement of American Philosophy, and on the Ralph Waldo Emerson Committee of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa.

Lavine was trained by, knew, and debated well-known philosophers including Richard Rorty, John Dewey, C.I. Lewis, Susanne Langer, Hannah Arendt, Paul Weiss, and Kurt Wolff. After she moved to Washington, DC from Boston, one of her projects was to make American Philosophy relevant to students. In addition to advocating for the controversial American branch of philosophy, Lavine produced scholarship on social philosophy, philosophy of the social sciences, American naturalism, philosophy of history, and philosophy in literature.

A widely published author, she popularized philosophy with her 30-part series "From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest," which aired first on Maryland Public Television and then nationally in the early 1980s. Her book of the same name was published in 1984 and is still in print. Lavine died at her home in Washington, D.C., on January 28, 2011.

Scope and Content

Research papers, correspondence, articles, and notes that document the career of Thelma Z. Lavine. There are also approximately 324 audiotape cassettes of lectures by Lavine as well as radio show appearances. The collection also includes almost 2,000 books, a small portion of which will be cataloged and housed in special collections.

Series 1, Correspondence: This series contains communications regarding Lavine's professional activities, including meetings, conferences, and symposia as well as journal submissions and presentations; correspondence relating to her MPT TV series and her book "From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest;" correspondence with other scholars and philosophers; and fan mail from her students, readers, and viewers. This series is organized first alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.

Series 2, Research: This series contains notes, clippings, and other papers related to Lavine's work as a scholar and professional philosopher. This series includes published articles, book reviews, newspaper articles and editorials written by her and by others; research for her MPT show; and research which culminated in her book. Ranging from small local workshops to large international meetings, the conferences for which there are research, programs, and complete presentation papers cover a range of themes including the women's movement. This series also contains materials from Lavine's work as a student, scholar, and teacher. This series is first organized by subject and then chronologically.

Series 3, Publications: This series contains original books and professional journals which contain writings from Lavine. A seventh edition English-language copy of her book is present, as well as a copy of the Japanese-language edition. This series is organized chronologically.

Series 4, Audio/Visual: This series is comprised largely of audio cassette recordings. Included are classroom lectures and radio interviews, as well as a few miscellaneous items such as a memorial speech. Complete or nearly complete lecture series include "From Socrates to Sartre," "Philosophy 19th Century," "Philosophy 355," "Philosophy of America," "Philosophy of History," "Philosophy and Literature/Philosophy of Literature," and "Philosophy and Social Science/Social Philosophy." This series is organized first by subject and then chronologically.

Arrangement note

Series 1: Correspondence, 1960-2005 (Boxes 1-6) Series 2: Research, 1930s-2007 (Boxes 6-32) Series 3: Publications, 1977-2002 (Boxes 23-33) Series 4: Audio/Visual, 1969-1996 (Boxes 34-43)

Related Material

Special Collections and Archives also holds the papers of many other George Mason University professors. Lavine's work "From Socrates to Sartre" is available in book format at the Fenwick Library and in VHS format in the Johnson Center videotapes.

Index Terms

Persons:

• Lavine, Thelma Z.

Subjects:

• Civilization, Western--Philosophy.
• Philosophy
• Philosophy--History
• Psychology.