Preface to the Georg Henrik von Wright Collection in Filosofia.fi

Texts are often written for a select group of readers. As a philosopher one will often wish that one's audience were larger, that one's publications would not be buried in piles of philosophy journals, starting to collect dust. But the essence of philosophy is not compatible with dust, and dust does not easily stick to some philosophers in particular. One of these is Georg Henrik von Wright, whose texts selected here are well worth reading even though some of them were written 60 years ago this early summer of 2009.

An electronic Open Access collection such as the von Wright collection at Filosofia.fi transcends the limits of the type of audience that an article in a specific little journal may reach, but it also counteracts the dust – the publications in a digital collection are not piled on top of each other. In the hope that numerous readers will find their way to von Wright, who can justifiably be called the most important Finnish philosopher, we have created this collection. And in the hope that many will come across texts that they might not otherwise look up, we present them in a non-thematic order. We at Filosofia.fi are delighted that Georg Henrik von Wright's family has given this cultural and philosophical project their wholehearted support.

The first volume of the collection contains texts in Swedish, Finnish and English. von Wright moved in a world of several more languages, but we start out thus cautiously to delight our readers. Beyond the Nordic countries von Wright was well known as an academic philosopher. His contributions have been influential in formal logic, the philosophy of science, legal theory, the philosophy of action, and other areas. Within the Nordic countries, however, von Wright is also widely known as a social thinker – a thinker of conscience. These elements are brought together in the Filosofia.fi collection, and we hope that his many-sidedness will infect his readers and that in this way we can help make the world a slightly better place, the way von Wright did through his more popular texts.

I wish to thank all who have made significant contributions:

Lars Hertzberg (Professor emeritus of philosophy, Åbo Akademi University): digitization plan, translation of this preface, a supportive shadow through-and-through.
Risto Vilkko (Research Professor, Academy of Finland): control of the digitization plan.
Elisabeth von Wright and family: control of the digitalization plan, permissions to publish.
Tuukka Tomperi, editor in chief of Filosofia.fi: support and encouragement.
Erik Hallstensson (philosophy student, Åbo Akademi University): scanning, transcriptions, proof-reading.
Sonja Vanto (MA; philosophy student, Åbo Akademi University): proof-reading, text upload.
Tommi Palosaari (philosophy student, University of Helsinki): scanning, transcriptions, proof-reading.
Barbro Nordling (philosophy student, Åbo Akademi University): scanning, proof-reading, publication rights.
Jonas Ahlskog (MA, postgraduate student in philosophy, Åbo Akademi University): proof-reading, publication rights.
Harri Mäkelä (arts studies, Åbo Akademi University) proof reading.
Jari Vuorijoki (legal counsel at Åbo Akademi University) copyright advice.
Dan Holm (Computer services, Åbo Akademi University): organizing webcast of the release 16 June, 2009.
Pekka Tenhonen (Computer services, Åbo Akademi University), camera work at the release.

In addition, I wish to thank those who have given us permission to publish the texts: translators, journal editors, publishers, scientific societies.

The von Wright Collection has been made possible through general grants to the Filosofia.fi project, as well as through grants to the Swedish section of  Filosofia.fi and to the portal by the Otto A. Malm scholarship foundation, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, the Åbo Akademi Foundation, and others.

Yrsa Neuman
(MA, Swedish language editor of Filosofia.fi, postgraduate student of philosophy, Åbo Akademi University): project planning and coordination.

Åbo, Finland, June 15th 2009