SOURCE: "In Defense of Westermarck," in Journal of the History of Philosophy, Vol. XIX, No. 2, April, 1981, pp. 213-34.

In the following excerpt, Stroup urges modern readers to read Westermarck's work without prejudice from his critical detractors.

I

The history of ideas can be approached in two ways. The first treats its materials like fossils, to be unearthed as clues to the past. Occasionally these exciting discoveries shed light on current concerns, but that is by no means a necessary reward. There is instead the thrill of the search, of tracking down a neglected work, of finding an outlook that is intrinsically interesting, if not always fresh or vital. The other approach seeks out pioneers who have contributed to a continuum of intellectual progress. The aim is to establish theoretical pedigrees, to show the sources from which later refinements derive their inspiration. In some instances the stature of the...