uarc00480 Inventory of the Grover Edward Maxwell papers, 1957-1980 Ellen Miller; updated by Renee Weddle University of Minnesota Libraries Updated April 2004

University of Minnesota Libraries Minneapolis, MN 55455

EAD encoding by Karen Spilman and Leslie Czechowski, 2004 English University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc] Maxwell, Grover Grover Edward Maxwell papers 1957-1980 2 boxes (2.6 linear ft.) The collection contains the papers of Grover Maxwell, professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota. 480 English Administrative Information Use of Materials

Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Requests for permission to quote from the Grover Edward Maxwell papers should be arranged with the head of the University of Minnesota Archives.

Preferred citation

Grover Edward Maxwell papers, University of Minnesota Archives

Source of acquisition

The collection was donated to the University of Minnesota Archives on October 11, 1989.

Arrangement

Maxwell's correspondence is organized in alphabetical order using the name of the sender. In instances where he received more than one correspondence from the same person, they are placed in chronological order. The graduate, undergraduate, and colleague papers are also arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content

This collection contains papers from graduate and undergraduate students, research papers submitted by Maxwell's colleagues for pre-publication review, correspondence, and miscellaneous items.

A majority of the graduate and undergraduate papers include topics about Epistemology, the mind/body problem, and the philosophy of science. Many of the undergraduate papers concern foundationalism in Epistemology, and focus on the writings of Bertrand Russell, a philosopher upon whom Maxwell concentrated much of his studies. Included in the collection are correspondence from Sir Karl Popper, Adolph Grumbaum, Wilfred Sellars, Paul Feyerabend, and Wesley Salmon.

The largest part of the correspondence in the collection is in regard to Maxwell's dispute with the University in 1980 over a pay raise while Director of the Center of the Philosophy of Science.

Biographical Sketch of Grover Maxwell (1918-1981)

Professor Grover Edward Maxwell was born on June 21, 1918 in Rockvale, Tennessee. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee in 1941. Upon graduation, he became a research chemist for the Tennessee Valley Authority. In 1943, World War II interrupted Maxwell's work and he received nine months of training in meteorology and subsequently saw 18 months of active duty in the U.S. Navy in the Marshall Islands. At the close of the war, Maxwell returned to his position at the Tennessee Valley Authority.

In 1946, Maxwell returned to the University of Tennessee to begin graduate work in Chemistry, and was awarded a Ph.D. in 1950. At this point Maxwell came to the University of Minnesota on a postdoctoral fellowship. After his fellowship, he joined General Mills as a research chemist. In 1951, he accepted his first teaching position at the University of Connecticut, and in 1953 became an associate professor at Adelphi College in New York.

In 1954 he decided to return to the University of Minnesota as a graduate student in the Department of Philosophy. While he was in graduate school he also worked as a teaching assistant in the department. Maxwell's concentration focused around the Minnesota Center for the Philosophy of Science, and in 1958, he became a research assistant at the Center and an Assistant Professor for the Philosophy Department. He continued his teaching career at the University, becoming an Associate professor in 1960 and a full professor in 1964. In that same year, Maxwell also served as acting director for the Center for the Philosophy of Science.

In 1968 Maxwell decided to run for office. As an opponent of the Vietnam War, he ran for the fifth congressional District seat. He was defeated in the democratic primary by Don Fraser.

Maxwell was made director of the Center for the Philosophy of Science in 1971. During his tenure at the University, he published more than 50 articles on philosophy and was given numerous National Science Foundation Grants between 1964 and 1978. In 1980 he resigned the position over a wage dispute. Maxwell had requested a pay raise from the University, but they hesitated and a bitter struggle ensued. The same philosophers who sent Maxwell their work for review came to his aid sending letters vehemently arguing in favor of Maxwell's request. Sir Karl Popper argued that Maxwell was one of the top three men in the field and was thus entitled to the raise. When the request was finally refused, Maxwell resigned his position as director of the Center of the Philosophy of Science. He died in 1981 of cardiac arrest.

Related Material

Minnesota Center for the Philosophy of Science papers

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons: Grunbaum, Adolph Feyerabend, Paul K, 1924- Maxwell, Grover -- Archives Popper, Karl Raimond, Sir, 1902- Salmon, Wesley C. Sellars, Wilfrid Organizations: Center for the Philosophy of Science University of Minnesota. Dept. of Philosophy Material types: Correspondence Manuscripts Notes Papers Subjects: Faculty--Salaries Knowledge, Theory of Mind and body Philosophy Science and philosophy Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 Detailed Contents of Collection

The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the collection.

1 Biographical materials 1 Leaves of absence 1 Correspondence, A-Z

4 folders

1 Salary negotiations, 1976-1980 1 Notes, no date

2 folders

1 Conference notes, no date 1 Research notes, no date 1 Conventionalism notes, no date 1 Induction mss, no date 1 Articles and mss. 2 Requests received for reprints 2 Reviews of grant proposals, no date, 1966-1980 2 Confirmation Conference, 1979 2 Political and social activity 2 Course proposals, no date 2 Philosophy 1 Notes, 1967 2 Philosophy 142 class notes, 1968 2 Student papers, Misc. 2 Student papers, Phil. 120A 2 Student papers, Phil. 142 2 Student papers, Phil. 143 2 Student papers, Phil. 147, 1970 2 Student papers, Phil. 158 no date 2 Student papers, Phil. 158, 1969 2 Student papers, Phil. 160, 2 Student papers, Phil. 190, 2 Student papers, Phil. 190 (Non-Violence), 3 Student papers, Phil. 191, 1969-1970 3 Student papers, Phil. 1-002 3 Student papers, Phil. 3-105 3 Student papers, Phil. 3-970 3 Student papers, Phil. 5-105 1970 3 Student papers, Phil. 5-601 3 Student papers, Phil.5-615 1975 3 Student papers, Phil. 5-760 1972-1973 3 Student papers, Philosophy of Science 3 Manuscripts from colleagues, A-B 4 Manuscripts from colleagues, C-M

5 folders

4 Manuscripts from colleagues, Grumbaum 4 Manuscripts from colleagues, Gu-L 4 Manuscripts from colleagues, M 5 Manuscripts from colleagues, P-W

4 folders

4 Manuscripts from colleagues, Salmon