Paul Lawrence Farber Papers, 1910-2016

Title: Paul Lawrence Farber Papers, 1910-2016

Predominant Dates: 1961-2011

ID: MSS Farber

Primary Creator: Farber, Paul Lawrence (1944-)

Extent: 28.0 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Paul Lawrence Farber Papers are arranged into six series and, where appropriate, organized alphabetically or chronologically.

Languages of Materials: English [eng], Spanish;Castilian [spa]

Paul Lawrence Farber (b. 1944) is a prolific and internationally known historian of science who has nurtured the study of scientific discovery from his post at Oregon State University for forty years. Dr. Farber has established himself as a world-class historian of science through his research into the naturalist tradition and evolutionary ethics, his extensive participation in the historical community including a term as President of the History of Science Society, and editor of the Journal of the History of Biology. The Paul Lawrence Farber Papers include correspondence, institutional records, teaching materials, typescripts, and reprints.

Born-digital materials in this collection, including electronic correspondance, word-processing documetns, and more, require migration to digital format and are not immediately available for patron use. Please see SCARC's "Accessing Audio-Visual Content" for more information. Access to the Oregon State University Correspondence and Records, 1990-1991 materials in Series 2 is restricted due to the presence of confidential information. All requests for acces to this material should be directed to the University Archivist.

The Paul Lawrence Farber Papers include 29 linear feet of correspondence, institutional records, typescripts, research notes, and reprints.

The collection documents Farber's life as a student, scholar and administrator and contains a large volume of institutional correspondence as well as a wide variety of materials related to the eight books that Farber either wrote or edited. Farber's professional travel is also documented within the collection.

The Farber Papers likewise include extensive collections of note cards and research notes as well as class materials, lecture manuscripts and visual aides, including nine CDs of images used for presentations. Also included are a number of pocket diaries and daily planners kept by Farber as well as administrative documents and reports, a film strip, newspaper clippings and reprints of Farber publications.

A large born digital component consisting of 1.11 GB of electronic correspondence, photographs, lecture slides and word processing documents, mostly in Microsoft Word format, are likewise part of this collection.

Highlights of the collection include a copy of Farber's doctoral dissertation "Buffon's Concept of Species," a History of Science department self-study, materials detailing the establishment of the Horning Endowment and a 16 mm film in which Farber demonstrates the method that Galen of Pergamon would have used to dissect a pig.

Born-digital materials in this collection, including electronic correspondance, word-processing documetns, and more, require migration to digital format and are not immediately available for patron use. Please see SCARC's "Accessing Audio-Visual Content" for more information. Access to the Oregon State University Correspondence and Records, 1990-1991 materials in Series 2 is restricted due to the presence of confidential information. All requests for acces to this material should be directed to the University Archivist.

Paul Lawrence Farber was born on March 7, 1944 in New York City, New York. In 1961 he entered the University of Pittsburgh and graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor's of Science in Zoology and a minor in Chemistry. He began work in the Master's in History and Philosophy of Science Department at Indiana University and completed his Ph.D. thesis entitled "Buffon's Concept of Species" 1970. After leaving Indiana, Dr. Farber was offered a position at Oregon State University as an Assistant Professor of the History of Science in the Department of General Science. He accepted and moved to Corvallis, Oregon with his wife, Vreneli Regula Marti. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Farber accepted several visiting positions at the University of Washington, Harvard, and the University of London. During this time, he authored his first book, Religion, Science, and Worldview: Essays in Honor of Richard S. Westfall. By 1985, he had been made full Professor and appointed to the Chairmanship of the OSU General Science department.

Farber's background in zoology and active interest in ornithology led him to the study of the naturalist tradition from the early 18th century through the 20th with emphasis on the development of systematic methods for cataloging and analyzing the natural world. He also began research into evolutionary ethics and the results of biological evolution on the shaping of psychology and behavior in humans. This work eventually resulted in the publication of The Temptations of Evolutionary Ethics.

In addition to his research and administrative duties, Farber took an active role in organizing publications and events for the history of science community, serving as an editor and contributor for several journals including the From Scientific Racism to Modern Evolutionary Ideas.

More Extent Information: 55 boxes; 1.13 GB born digital

Statement on Access: Access to the Oregon State University Correspondence and Records, 1990-1991 materials in Series 2 is restricted due to the presence of confidential information. All requests for acces to this material should be directed to the University Archivist. All other materials in this collection are open for research.

Acquisition Note:

One box (.5 linear feet) was accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on March 1, 2010.

Three boxes (1.5 linear feet) were accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on March 8, 2010.

Two boxes (1 linear foot) were accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on October 18, 2010.

Four boxes (2 linear feet) were accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on November 30, 2010.

Four boxes (2 linear feet) were accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on December 13, 2010.

Two boxes (1 linear foot) and 469 KB of born digital materials were accessioned from Paul Farber by OSU Libraries Special Collections on August 11, 2011.

10.3 cubic feet and 1.11 GB of born digital materials were accessioned from Paul Farber by the OSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives Research Center on February 1, 2012.

Preferred Citation: Paul Lawrence Farber Papers (MSS Farber), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Processing Information: Arrangement and description by Regina Pimentel and Trevor Sandgathe.

Other URL: A preliminary container list was created for this collection on or before November 19, 2015.

Farber, Paul Lawrence (1944-)

Benson, Keith Rodney
Churchill, F. B. (Frederick B.)
Evolution (Biology)--History.
Farber, Paul Lawrence, 1944-
Farber, Vreneli, 1944-
History of Science
History of Science Society
Home, Roderick Weir
Indiana University
Journal of the history of biology
Miscegenation--History.
Naturalism--History.
Oregon Multicultural Archives
Oregon State University
Ornithology.
Racism--History.
Science
Syracuse University
University History

Born digital.