THE SOCIETY OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL SCIENTISTS
Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, 2007
The St. John’s University School of Law
ROBERT F. CUERVO, PH. D.
85-44 111 Street
Richmond Hill, NY 11418-1637
718-847-9869
Dr. Cuervo (Fordham 1980) is a retired Associate Professor of Political Science at
St. John’s University (New York). He is currently Adjunct Associate Professor of Political Science at Pace University (New York). His fields are normative political theory and American government. Dr. Cuervo has published articles and reviews in the Journal of Politics, Catholic Social Science Review, Faith and Reason, and the Presidential Studies Quarterly. He is the author of the dissertation Public Philosophy in a Democracy, which was mentored by Francis P. Canavan, S. J., whose interpretation of Edmund Burke Dr. Cuervo is discussing at this year’s annual meeting. Dr. Cuervo is also Formation Director of Our Lady of the Assumption Chapter (New York City) of the Fraternities of St. Dominic (formerly Third Order of St. Dominic), and he has published several articles in the Fraternities’ quarterly, The Dominican Torch.
Canavan’s Burke (Third Edition)
This is an updated version of a paper presented at previous festschrift gatherings for Father Francis P. Canavan, S. J. in 1996 and 2000. In the first part of the paper, Edmund Burke’s practical political outlook, as interpreted by Canavan, is shown not to be utilitarian, historicist, or relativist but, rather, to be consistent with the Western natural law tradition. This is demonstrated by examining the “six P’s” in Burke’s thought—prudence, prescription, presumption, prejudice, providence, and property. The second part of the paper discusses Canavan’s defense of Burke from contemporary scholars who have labeled him as utilitarian, relativist, historicist, or crudely capitalist. Among the Burke critics Canavan responds to are Leo Strauss, Richard M. Weaver, C. B. Macpherson, and Conor Cruise O’Brien. In conclusion, we require sensitive observers like Father Canavan to unravel Burke’s intertwining of philosophy and practice and show the depth of his genuine convictions.