George Grant (philosopher)
Encyclopedia
George Parkin Grant, OC
, FRSC (November 13, 1918 – September 27, 1988) was a Canadian philosopher, teacher and political commentator, whose popular appeal peaked in the late 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his nationalism
, political conservatism
, and his views on technology
, pacifism
, Christian
faith, and abortion
. He is credited as one of Canada's most original thinkers.
Academically, his writings express a complex meditation on the great books, and confrontation with the great thinkers, of Western Civilization
. His influences include the "ancients" such as Plato
, Aristotle
, and Augustine of Hippo
, as well as "moderns" like Friedrich Nietzsche
, Martin Heidegger
, Leo Strauss
, James Doull
, Simone Weil
, and Jacques Ellul
.
Although he is considered the main theoretician of Red Tory
ism, he expressed dislike of the term when applied to his deeper philosophical interests, which he saw as his primary work as a thinker.
, the son of Maude Erskine (née Parkin) and William Lawson Grant. He came from a distinguished Canadian family of scholars and educators. His father was the principal of Upper Canada College
, and his paternal grandfather George Monro Grant
was the dynamic principal of Queen's University
. His maternal grandfather was Sir George Robert Parkin
, also a principal at Upper Canada College
, whose daughter Alice married Vincent Massey
, the Canadian diplomat and first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada
. His nephew is public scholar and Canadian former Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff
.
and Queen's University where he graduated with a History
degree. He attended Balliol College at the University of Oxford
on a Rhodes Scholarship
, a trust his grandfather, George Parkin, had headed at one time. Upon winning the Rhodes Scholarship, he enrolled towards a degree in Law
at Oxford, but after World War II
ended, and Grant had experienced a deeper personal bond with Christianity, he decided to change studies. His D.Phil. research was interrupted by the war, and he was already teaching in Dalhousie University
's Philosophy department when he completed his thesis, "The Concept of Nature and Supernature in the Theology of John Oman", during a year long sabbatical in 1950. Grant was a faculty member at Dalhousie twice (1947–1960, 1980–1988), York University
(1960-1; he resigned before teaching) and McMaster University
's Religion department (1961–1980), which he founded and led in the 1960s and early 70s. In 1977 he became an Editorial Advisor of the journal Dionysius
, which published his essay Nietzsche and the Ancients: Philosophy and Scholarship in 1979.
In George Grant: A Biography his struggles as a self-taught philosopher are highlighted.
Grant was not readily accepted into the traditional academic community of scholars in Canada. Resistance was provoked by some of Grant's less 'progressive' stances, most notably the definition of philosophy he published in 1949: "The study of philosophy is the analysis of the traditions of our society and the judgment of those traditions against our varying intuitions of the Perfections of God". Especially angered and upset was Fulton Anderson of the University of Toronto
’s Philosophy department. Grant’s definition is telling, in that it marks his unique take on the philosophy's human perspective, which did not necessarily include assumptions regarding the 'objectivity' of science, or the blind acceptance of the Enlightenment
’s Fact-value distinction
.
Throughout his career Grant was seen as a unique voice within academic institutions, and thus had strong appeal beyond the strict 'community of scholars'. In fact, Grant criticized the trend in universities to move away from the 'unity' of the traditional academy
to a 'multi-versity' comprising separate hives of undergraduate students, graduate students, professional faculties and professors (years before American Allan Bloom
would become famous for similar themes).
, in which he deplored what he claimed was Canada's inevitable cultural absorption by the United States
, a phenomenon referred to as 'continentalism'. He argued that the homogenizing effect in current affairs during the period when it was written would see the demise of Canadian cultural nationality. The importance of the text is reflected in its selection in 2005 as one of The Literary Review of Canadas 100 most important Canadian books. Grant articulated a political philosophy which was becoming known as Red Tory
ism. It promoted the collectivist and communitarian aspects of an older English conservative tradition, which stood in direct opposition to the individualist traditions of liberalism
, and subsequently neo-liberalism.
The subjects of his books, essays, public lectures, and radio addresses (many on CBC Radio in Canada) quite frequently combined philosophy, religion, and political thought. Grant strongly critiqued what he believed were the worst facets of modernity
, namely unbridled technological advancement and a loss of moral foundations to guide humanity. He defined 'philosophy' as the search for the "purpose and meaning and unity of life". What he proposed in place of the modern spirit was a synthesis of Christian
and Plato
nic thought which embodied contemplation of the 'good'.
His first book, Philosophy in the Mass Age (1959), began as a series of CBC
lectures. In it he posed the question of how human beings can reconcile moral freedom with acceptance of the view that an order exists in the universe beyond space and time. In 1965, furious that the Liberal government had agreed to accept nuclear weapons, he published Lament for a Nation. This short work created a sensation with its argument that Canada was destined to disappear into a universal and homogeneous state whose centre was the United States. Technology and Empire (1969), a collection of essays edited by poet and friend Dennis Lee
, deepened his critique of technological modernity; and Time as History, his 1969 Massey Lectures
, explained the worsening predicament of the West through an examination of the thought of Friedrich Nietzsche. Grant's works of the 1960s had a strong influence on the nationalist movement of the 1970s, though many of the New Left were uncomfortable with Grant's conservatism, his conventional Anglican Tory
beliefs, Christian-Platonist
perspective, and his uncompromising position against abortion.
Grant's last work was Technology and Justice (1986), which he prepared together with his wife, Sheila Grant. His three-decades-long meditation on French philosopher Simone Weil
's works led to the conclusion that there were fundamental moral and spiritual flaws in Western civilization, consigning it to a fate of inevitable collapse. Nevertheless, Grant affirmed his belief that a better civilization could eventually replace it.
for having "become a major force in Canadian intellectual life" and was also awarded the Royal Society of Canada
's Pierre Chauveau Medal
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
In 2005 Grant's book Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism was voted one of The Literary Review of Canadas 100 most important Canadian books.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, FRSC (November 13, 1918 – September 27, 1988) was a Canadian philosopher, teacher and political commentator, whose popular appeal peaked in the late 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, political conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, and his views on technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
faith, and abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. He is credited as one of Canada's most original thinkers.
Academically, his writings express a complex meditation on the great books, and confrontation with the great thinkers, of Western Civilization
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
. His influences include the "ancients" such as Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
, Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, and Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
, as well as "moderns" like Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
, Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger was a German philosopher known for his existential and phenomenological explorations of the "question of Being."...
, Leo Strauss
Leo Strauss
Leo Strauss was a political philosopher and classicist who specialized in classical political philosophy. He was born in Germany to Jewish parents and later emigrated to the United States...
, James Doull
James Doull
James Alexander Doull was a Canadian philosopher and academic who was born and lived most of his life in Nova Scotia. His father was the politician, jurist, and historian John Doull. From the late 1940s until the mid 1980s he taught in the Department of Classics at Dalhousie University in Halifax...
, Simone Weil
Simone Weil
Simone Weil , was a French philosopher, Christian mystic, and social activist.-Biography:Weil was born in Paris to Alsatian agnostic Jewish parents who fled the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. She grew up in comfortable circumstances, and her father was a doctor. Her only sibling was...
, and Jacques Ellul
Jacques Ellul
Jacques Ellul was a French philosopher, law professor, sociologist, lay theologian, and Christian anarchist. He wrote several books about the "technological society" and the interaction between Christianity and politics....
.
Although he is considered the main theoretician of Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
ism, he expressed dislike of the term when applied to his deeper philosophical interests, which he saw as his primary work as a thinker.
Family legacy
Grant was born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, the son of Maude Erskine (née Parkin) and William Lawson Grant. He came from a distinguished Canadian family of scholars and educators. His father was the principal of Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
, and his paternal grandfather George Monro Grant
George Monro Grant
George Monro Grant, C.M.G. was a Canadian church minister, writer, and political activist. He served as principal of Queen's College, Kingston, Ontario for 25 years, from 1877 until 1902.-Early life, education:...
was the dynamic principal of Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. His maternal grandfather was Sir George Robert Parkin
George Robert Parkin
Sir George Robert Parkin KCMG was a Canadian educator, imperialist, and author.Born at Parkindale near Salisbury, New Brunswick, he was a graduate from the University of New Brunswick. From 1867 to 1871, he taught at the Bathurst Grammar School...
, also a principal at Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
, whose daughter Alice married Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
, the Canadian diplomat and first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
. His nephew is public scholar and Canadian former Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
.
Education and teaching
Grant was educated at Upper Canada CollegeUpper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
and Queen's University where he graduated with a History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
degree. He attended Balliol College at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
on a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, a trust his grandfather, George Parkin, had headed at one time. Upon winning the Rhodes Scholarship, he enrolled towards a degree in Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at Oxford, but after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, and Grant had experienced a deeper personal bond with Christianity, he decided to change studies. His D.Phil. research was interrupted by the war, and he was already teaching in Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
's Philosophy department when he completed his thesis, "The Concept of Nature and Supernature in the Theology of John Oman", during a year long sabbatical in 1950. Grant was a faculty member at Dalhousie twice (1947–1960, 1980–1988), York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
(1960-1; he resigned before teaching) and McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
's Religion department (1961–1980), which he founded and led in the 1960s and early 70s. In 1977 he became an Editorial Advisor of the journal Dionysius
Dionysius (journal)
Dionysius is a scholarly journal published by the Department of Classics at Dalhousie University. It was established originally in 1977, and a new series began in 1998. It publishes articles on the history of ancient philosophy and theology, and has a special interest in the Aristotelian and...
, which published his essay Nietzsche and the Ancients: Philosophy and Scholarship in 1979.
In George Grant: A Biography his struggles as a self-taught philosopher are highlighted.
Grant was not readily accepted into the traditional academic community of scholars in Canada. Resistance was provoked by some of Grant's less 'progressive' stances, most notably the definition of philosophy he published in 1949: "The study of philosophy is the analysis of the traditions of our society and the judgment of those traditions against our varying intuitions of the Perfections of God". Especially angered and upset was Fulton Anderson of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
’s Philosophy department. Grant’s definition is telling, in that it marks his unique take on the philosophy's human perspective, which did not necessarily include assumptions regarding the 'objectivity' of science, or the blind acceptance of the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
’s Fact-value distinction
Fact-value distinction
The fact-value distinction is a concept used to distinguish between arguments which can be claimed through reason alone, and those where rationality is limited to describing a collective opinion. In another formulation, it is the distinction between what is and what ought to be...
.
Throughout his career Grant was seen as a unique voice within academic institutions, and thus had strong appeal beyond the strict 'community of scholars'. In fact, Grant criticized the trend in universities to move away from the 'unity' of the traditional academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
to a 'multi-versity' comprising separate hives of undergraduate students, graduate students, professional faculties and professors (years before American Allan Bloom
Allan Bloom
Allan David Bloom was an American philosopher, classicist, and academic. He studied under David Grene, Leo Strauss, Richard McKeon and Alexandre Kojève. He subsequently taught at Cornell University, the University of Toronto, Yale University, École Normale Supérieure of Paris, and the University...
would become famous for similar themes).
Politics and philosophy
In 1965, Grant published one of his most widely known works, Lament for a NationLament for a nation
Lament for a Nation is a 1965 essay of political philosophy by Canadian philosopher George Grant. The essay examined the political fate of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker's Progressive Conservative government in light of its refusal to allow nuclear arms on Canadian soil and the Liberal Party's...
, in which he deplored what he claimed was Canada's inevitable cultural absorption by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a phenomenon referred to as 'continentalism'. He argued that the homogenizing effect in current affairs during the period when it was written would see the demise of Canadian cultural nationality. The importance of the text is reflected in its selection in 2005 as one of The Literary Review of Canadas 100 most important Canadian books. Grant articulated a political philosophy which was becoming known as Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
ism. It promoted the collectivist and communitarian aspects of an older English conservative tradition, which stood in direct opposition to the individualist traditions of liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, and subsequently neo-liberalism.
The subjects of his books, essays, public lectures, and radio addresses (many on CBC Radio in Canada) quite frequently combined philosophy, religion, and political thought. Grant strongly critiqued what he believed were the worst facets of modernity
Modernity
Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...
, namely unbridled technological advancement and a loss of moral foundations to guide humanity. He defined 'philosophy' as the search for the "purpose and meaning and unity of life". What he proposed in place of the modern spirit was a synthesis of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
nic thought which embodied contemplation of the 'good'.
His first book, Philosophy in the Mass Age (1959), began as a series of CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
lectures. In it he posed the question of how human beings can reconcile moral freedom with acceptance of the view that an order exists in the universe beyond space and time. In 1965, furious that the Liberal government had agreed to accept nuclear weapons, he published Lament for a Nation. This short work created a sensation with its argument that Canada was destined to disappear into a universal and homogeneous state whose centre was the United States. Technology and Empire (1969), a collection of essays edited by poet and friend Dennis Lee
Dennis Lee
Dennis Lee may refer to:*Dennis Lee , Canadian children's writer and poet*Dennis Lee, director of Fireflies in the Garden*Dennis Lee, lead screamer for the North Carolinian band, Alesana-See also:...
, deepened his critique of technological modernity; and Time as History, his 1969 Massey Lectures
Massey Lectures
The Massey Lectures are an annual week-long series of lectures on a political, cultural or philosophical topic given in Canada by a noted scholar. They were created in 1961 to honour Vincent Massey, Governor General of Canada...
, explained the worsening predicament of the West through an examination of the thought of Friedrich Nietzsche. Grant's works of the 1960s had a strong influence on the nationalist movement of the 1970s, though many of the New Left were uncomfortable with Grant's conservatism, his conventional Anglican Tory
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
beliefs, Christian-Platonist
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism , is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists, with its earliest contributor believed to be Plotinus, and his teacher Ammonius Saccas...
perspective, and his uncompromising position against abortion.
Grant's last work was Technology and Justice (1986), which he prepared together with his wife, Sheila Grant. His three-decades-long meditation on French philosopher Simone Weil
Simone Weil
Simone Weil , was a French philosopher, Christian mystic, and social activist.-Biography:Weil was born in Paris to Alsatian agnostic Jewish parents who fled the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. She grew up in comfortable circumstances, and her father was a doctor. Her only sibling was...
's works led to the conclusion that there were fundamental moral and spiritual flaws in Western civilization, consigning it to a fate of inevitable collapse. Nevertheless, Grant affirmed his belief that a better civilization could eventually replace it.
Honours
In 1981, he was made an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
for having "become a major force in Canadian intellectual life" and was also awarded the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
's Pierre Chauveau Medal
Pierre Chauveau Medal
The Pierre Chauveau Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for a distinguished contribution to knowledge in the humanities other than Canadian literature and Canadian history". It is named in honour of Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau and is awarded bi-annually. The award consists of a...
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
In 2005 Grant's book Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism was voted one of The Literary Review of Canadas 100 most important Canadian books.
List of works
- The Empire, Yes or No? Ryerson Press, (1945).
- Philosophy in the Mass Age. CBC, (1959)
- Lament for a Nation : the Defeat of Canadian Nationalism. McClelland & Stewart, (1965).
- Time as History. CBC, (1969).
- Technology and Empire : Perspectives on North America. Anansi, (1969)
- English-speaking Justice. Mount Allison University, (1974).
- Grant, G.P. (1976). The computer does not impose on us the ways it should be used. In W. Christian & S. Grant (Eds.), The George Grant reader. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
- Technology and Justice. Anansi, (1986).
- George Grant : selected letters edited, with an introduction by William Christian. University of Toronto Press, (1996).
- The George Grant Reader. William Christian and Sheila Grant (editors). University of Toronto Press, (1998)
- Collected works of George Grant. Arthur Davis (editor). University of Toronto Press, (2000)
Works as subject
- Athens and Jerusalem: George Grant’s Theology, Philosophy, and Politics. Angus, Ian, Ronald DartRon DartRonald Samuel Dart , BA ; DCS, MCS , MA , PhD studies at , is a , author, and ACC mountaineer....
and Randy Peg Peters (editors). University of Toronto Press, (2006) - George Grant: A Guide to His Thought. Hugh Donald Forbes. University of Toronto Press, 2007.
- George Grant and the Twilight of Justice. Joan E. O'Donovan. University of Toronto Press, 1984.
- George Grant in Process: Essays and Coversations. Larry Schmidt (editor). House of Anansi Press, (1978).
- Modernity and Responsibility : essays for George Grant. Eugene Combs, (editor). University of Toronto Press, (1983).
- George Grant: A Biography. William Christian, University of Toronto Press, 1994.
- George Grant in Conversation. David Cayley. Anansi, (1995).
- Two theological languages by George Grant and Other essays in honour of his work. Wayne Whillier, (editor) E. Mellen Press (1990).
Articles on subject
- Andrew, E. (1988). George Grant on technological imperatives. In R. Beiner, R. Day, & J. Masciulli (Eds.), Democratic theory and technological society. Armonk, NY: Sharpe.
- Angus, I. (1987). George Grant’s Platonic rejoinder to Heidegger. Lewiston, NY: Edward Mellon.
- Athanasiadis, H. (2001). George Grant and the theology of the Cross. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
- Badertscher, J. (1978). George P. Grant and Jacques Ellul on freedom in technological society. In L. Schmidt (Ed.), George Grant in process: Essays and conversations. Toronto, Canada: Anansi.
- Barros, J. (1986). No sense of evil: Espionage, the case of Herbert Norman. Toronto, Canada: Deneau.
- Cayley, D. (1995). George Grant in conversation. Toronto, Canada: Anansi.
- Christian, W. (1993). George Grant: A biography. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
- Davis, A. (Ed.). (1996). George Grant and the subversion of modernity. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
- Ellul, J. (1965). The technological society (John Wilkerson, Trans.). New York: Vintage.
- Flinn, F. (1981). George Grant’s critique of technological liberalism. Doctoral thesis, St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto.
- Horowitz, G. (1990). Commentary. In P. C. Emberley (Ed.), By loving our own: George Grant and the legacy of Lament for a nation. Ottawa, Canada: Carleton University Press.
- Kinzel, T. (1999). George Grant - ein kanadischer Philosoph als antimoderner Kulturkritiker. In Zeitschrift für Kanada-Studien 36/2 (1999), 185-200.
- Kinzel, T. (2009). Metaphysics, Politics, and Philosophy: George Grant’s Response to Pragmatism In: Cultura : international review of cultural philosophy and axiology (June 2009), 7 - 21. http://www.international-journal-of-axiology.net/articole/nr11/art01.pdf
- Kroker, A. (1984). Technology and the Canadian mind. Montreal, Canada: New World Perspectives.
- Lee, D. (1990). Grant’s impasse. In P. C. Emberley (Ed.), By loving our own: George Grant and the legacy of "Lament for a Nation." Ottawa, Canada: Carleton University Press.
- Mathie, W. (1978). The technological regime: George Grant’s analysis of modernity. In L. Schmidt (Ed.), George Grant in process: Essays and conversations. Toronto, Canada: Anansi.
- McHughen, A. (2000). Pandora’s picnic basket: The potential and hazard of genetically modified foods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Rigelhof, T. L. (2001). George Grant: Redefining Canada. Montreal, Canada: XYZ Publishers.
- Siebert, J. W. H. (1988). George Grant’s troubled appropriation of Martin Heidegger on the question concerning technology. Master’s thesis, St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto.
- Umar, Y. K. (Ed.). (1991). George Grant and the future of Canada. Calgary, Canada: University of Calgary Press.
External links
- A 40th anniversary retrospective of the Lament
- Review of Collected Works of George Grant by Alan Mendelson in University of Toronto Quarterly.
- TV program "Impressions" CBC, Interview with George Grant August 1973 Impressions of George Grant