Peirce, a founder of modern logic, contributed notably to geodesy, astronomy, psychology, induction, probability, and scientific method; introduced scholastic realism into modern philosophy; developed the concepts of chance, continuity, and objective law; and showed the philosophical significance of the theory of signs and mathematical logic.

Volumes 1-VI of the "Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce" are being reissued in response to a growing interest in Peirce's thought - a development that was prophesied by John Dewey when he reviewed the first volume of these papers on their appearance in 1931. Writing in "The New Republic," Mr. Dewey said, "Nothing much will happen in philosophy as long as a main object among philosophers is defense of some formulated historical position. I do not know of any other thinker more calculated than Peirce to give emancipation from the intellectual fortifications of the past and to arouse a fresh imagination."

Originally published as six separate volumes, the Peirce papers appear in the new Belknap Press edition in three handsome books of two volumes each. The content is identical with that of the original edition: Volume I, "Principles of Philosophy; Volume II, "Elements of Logic"; Volume III, "Exact Logic"; Volume IV, "The Simplest Mathematics"; Volume V, "Pragmatism and Pragmaticism"; Volume VI, "Scientific Metaphysics."

This republication presents the seminal concepts of a writer described in John Dewey's article as "the most original philosophical mind this country has produced."