ʼn Kykie na Kopstukke. Filosofie op Potchefstroom die afgelope eeu (1917-2017), Deel 2: die sisteembouers

Abstract

A peephole on big guns; philosophy at Potchefstroom during the past century (1917-2017). Part 2: the systematic philosophers While during the last century philosophy played a key-role in shaping the Christian character of the erstwhile Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (now a campus of the North-West University), its history has not yet been documented and published. In a series of four articles the author provides a preliminary reconnaissance and outline to fill this lacuna and to encourage possible further research. A previous article in this journal investigated the philosophers, F. Postma and S.O. Los, and the nature of the philosophies they taught about a hundred years ago (1916) at the Potchefstroom University College (cf. Van der Walt 2017). This first period may be characterised as a time of philosophical reconnoitring. The following hundred years (of about 1916 to 2017) of philosophy can be divided into three main phases: first a time of system-building, followed by a period of philosophical elaboration and finally of reconsideration. This review deals with the second period of system-building (Stoker & Taljaard) while the next will discuss the third period of elaboration (the following philosophers) while the third will review the present critical situation. As the title of the first two contributions suggests, the writer acts as a fly on the wall looking back at the “big guns”, those philosophers who headed the Department (later School) of Philosophy at Potchefstroom, to indicate inter alia what their academic backgrounds, fields of specialisation and publications were. Since all of them shared a commitment to a Christian approach in their philosophising the essay in conclusion focuses on the deepest religious foundations of their thinking. The third article will provide a more detailed critical evaluation of the possible impact of the Christian Reformational philosophical tradition in philosophy at Potchefstroom. SAMEVATTING Die vak Wysbegeerte (later herdoop tot Filosofie) se handvol filosowe het vir die grootste deel van die afgelope eeu belangrike bydraes gelewer in die bepaling van die Christelike karakter van die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys. Behalwe min of meer terloopse verwysings na die vak of persone wat dit aangebied het in algemene geskiedenisse van die PUK, is daar egter nog niks oor die geskiedenis van filosofie en die kopstukke daarby betrokke te boek gestel nie. Met enkele hooflyne wil hierdie verkenning in dié leemte voorsien en verdere detailnavorsing stimuleer. In ʼn vorige bydrae (Van der Walt, 2017) is die tydperk van wysgerige verkenning tot ongeveer 1916 met figure soos proff. S.O. Los en F. Postma bekyk. Hierdie bydrae fokus op die bydraes van twee figure gedurende die tweede periode van sistematisering van ʼn Christelike filosofie, Hendrik Gerhardus Stoker (dosent aan die begin van die twintigerjare en vanaf 1936 tot 1964 departementshoof) en Jan Adrian Louw Taljaard (dosent vanaf 1948 en departementshoof vanaf 1965 tot 1974). Wat het hulle akademiese opleiding behels, wat was hulle besondere belangstellings en publikasies? Die artikel word afgesluit met ʼn terugblik op die gemeenskaplike religieuse grondslae van hulle denke. In ʼn volgende (derde) aflewering sal daaropvolgende, latere filosofiese kopstukke bekyk word, verteenwoordigers van ʼn derde periode in die geskiedenis van filosofie op Potchefstroom, naamlik wysgerige uitbouing. Die reeks sal afgesluit word met ʼn vierde en laaste bylae oor die meer resente situasie vanaf ongeveer 2010.