This collection of addresses presented at the Official Inauguration of the Faculty of Humanities, University of Calgary, in February 1978, is edited by the Dean and the Associate Dean of the Faculty. As well as the essays, the collection includes biographies and photographs of the contributors and a comprehensive index. Robertson Davies, in the inaugural address, discusses "The Relevance and Importance of the Humanities in the Present Day." Next, the editors discuss the concept of a "liberal undergraduate education," and Gregory Vlastos, the concept of graduate education. George Grant examines the role of research in the humanities. F.E.L. Priestley discusses the influence of humanistic concepts on scientific ideas from Bacon to Einstein. Marie-Claire Blais examines "The Function of Literature in Contemporary Society." Hans Eichner presents a "Defence of Literature" and discusses the role of a Faculty of Humanities. Finally, Malcolm F. McGregor speaks to the questions, "What are the humanities?" and "What is an education in the humanities."

J.T. Woods is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary.

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Harold Coward is a scholar of international reputation with distinguished contributions to both the University of Victoria and University of Calgary throughout his extensive career. After retiring from the University of Victoria as director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, he continues to be involved as a research fellow. He is currently a member of the Genome BC Board of Directors, where he serves as a specialist on ethics and biotechnology. In June 2002, Dr. Coward was also selected as one of the twenty-five power thinkers in British Columbia by BC Business Magazine.

Leslie S. Kawamura is an Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Calgary, Alberta. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, in Far Eastern Studies (1974). He has studied at the Kyoto University (Japan) and has taught at the Nyingma Institute (Berkeley), Institute of Buddhist Studies (Berkeley), and the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon). His publications include Mind in Buddhist Psychology (with H.V. Guenther, Dharma Press, 1975) and Golden Zephyr (Dharma Press, 1975). He was a founding member of the Honpa Buddhist Church of Alberta and the Canada-Mongolia Society.

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