Man Against Myth

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The publication of Man Against Myth in 1947 was received with critical acclaim and won high praise from some of the best minds of the time. The book demolishes a series of deeply entrenched social myths such as the 'Rich are fit and the poor unfit'; 'There are superior and inferior races'; and You cannot be free and safe'. The perpetuation of such myths, the book argues, has been beneficial to the interests of a privileged few and has worked to justify inequality and impede human progress in society. Written with sensitivity and wit, Man Against Myth conveys a powerful message that continues to resonate in contemporary times.

Barrows Dunham (1905-1995) was one of the most influential and outspoken philosophers of twentieth century America. He did his Ph.D from Princeton University and for many years was the Chairman of the Philosophy Department at Temple University, Philadelphia. For his liberal writings, the Congressional House Committee on Un-American Activities charged Dunham, in 1953, with subversive activities. His refusal to testify before the Committee led to his subsequent dismissal from the Temple University. He was only reinstated in 1981. His other major works include Giant in Chains, Heroes and Heretics, Thinkers and Treasurers, and Ethics Dead and Alive.

The aim of science is to state what actually is the case. Perhaps half the intellectual labour of mankind now goes into this effort. The other half goes into inventing, fostering, and propagating doctrines which express, not reality, but the interest and advantage of powerful groups. Such doctrines, obviously suspect of bias, constitute a sort of social mythology. My intent in this book was to show that myths are myths and bias.

So far as these myths have suffered damage-and some of them are still remarkably robust-they have suffered it more from history than from argumentation. Proof will, of course, remove some errors from some minds; but social myths, precisely because they are socially entertained, require great changes for their abandonment. Indeed, they are abandoned less because they are false than because they have become politically irrelevant. Until this happens, someone can always be found who will propagate the myths for pay.

I'm the nine year old, now aged seventy, mentioned in my father's preface to the original edition of Man Against Myth. In 1948 he was Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It doesn't seem possible today that a full Department Chairman at a leading American University ever earned a mere $5000.00 a year, but that was in fact most certainly the case. Therefore, it is easy to understand his incredulous reaction when opening a royalty cheque from the publisher of Man Against Myth in the amount of $2500.00 - six months pay for the first - quarter of 1948. As a witness to this event, I recall that upon opening the envelope he was utterly silent, swayed a little back and forth, and then called upon one deity or another for clarification.

The Gods were good to him then, but not for long. 1948 was also the beginning of what became known as "McCarthy Era" in American political life. The success of Man Against Myth had thrust him into the public eye and made him a darling of American progressives. A compelling and outspoken voice of reason, he appeared at many events, speaking truth to power. It wasn't long before power spoke back. All around us our friends were fast becoming victims of the "Great American Witch Hunt".

I have been asked to write a brief introduction to this edition of Barrows Dunham's Man Against Myth. Let me begin by stating that if there is one book which I have, over the years, wanted republished in the country, it is Man Against Myth. I was even willing to risk piracy for it. It is very gratifying to know that the book will now be available in a more than properly published Indian edition. National Book Trust and Professor Bipan Chandra are to be congratulated for their bold initiative in organising a reprint of this great book.

That persons of the status of J.D. Bernard, J.B.H. Haldane, or Albert Einstein found the book enlightening, and appreciated its wit and wisdom, is reason enough to make Man Against Myth available to a new generation of readers. But the more important consideration is that the way Barrows Dunham practiced philosophy remains exemplary for our times.

At a time when the mainstream philosophy, in its flight from the real world sought refuge in linguistic analysis, clarification of concepts and elucidation of meaning, reducing philosophy to a 'second order study' which had nothing to say about 'first order' issues, the substantive problems of life, Barrows Dunham asserted philosophy's responsibility to help understand and change the world.

**Contents and Sample Pages**