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Santayana, George, 1863-1952 to Arthur A. Schaffer

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05508.225 Author/Creator: Santayana, George, 1863-1952 Place Written: Rome, Italy Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 January 1951 Pagination: 1 p. + env 27.3 x 21.4 cm Order a Copy

Santayana responds to Schaffer's letter. Santayana notes their similar religious background but claims to have never left the Catholic church because he never had a sense of being in it, although he does "think in its terms." He discusses Schaffer's need to explain "our existence" beyond the merely scientific. Santayana views looking for such an explanation as absurd. He concludes: "A moral solution arrived at prudently is a help in life, but, it need not be a metaphysical one."

Santayana, George, 1863-1952

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