Festschriften

Preface

With Volume 52 of Tradition & Discovery, we continue our seriatim publishing journey with two reflections on the careers of two long-time Polanyi scholars: Phil Mullins and Murray Jardine. In this first issue of 2026, we begin with a well deserved festschrift in homage to Phil Mullins – a long time pillar of the Polanyi community. Mullins has not only served as President of the Society for many years, but also served as the editor of TAD for over 20 years. Beyond that, Mullins has contributed volumes of academic articles and book-chapters to the study and expansion of Polanyi’s thought, fostered and encouraged new scholars and avenues of research, and left his mark throughout the domain. One soon finds upon even casually browsing Polanyi’s primary materials on the Polanyi Society website that Mullins has added detailed notes on nearly every object in the archives.

It is thus fitting that the Polanyi scholars have composed not one but two festschriften in Mullins’ honour. Firstly The Comprehensive Legacy of Michael Polanyi: Dwelling In and Breaking Out, edited by Walter B. Gulick and Paul Lewis, as well as a dedicated issue of TAD.

This issue begins with an introduction to Mullins by present President of the Polanyi Society, Paul Lewis, followed by a comprehensive curriculum vitae, several personal encomia, and four essays from friends and colleagues of Phil’s noting his influence upon the direction of their work. We begin with Breytspraak’s reflections upon the deep intellectual journey of William Poteat, a longtime friend and one-time student of Polanyi. We then follow upon that with essays by Hungarian scholars Héder and Bíro, who address the question of how Polanyi’s thoughts aid us in comprehending artificial intelligence and economics. Lastly, we have Vojak’s application of Polanyian thought to the understanding of how innovations transpire and are assimilated by industry.

Introduction

Phil has been a relentless evangelist for the Polanyi Society, serving for decades as editor of the journal, a board member, President, archivist, historian, and more. Although Phil has never been one to seek center stage, he deserves to be recognized for all he has done for the Society.

He retired from his teaching position at Missouri Western State University in 2009 after being there since 1978. At the time of his retirement, several of us began to plot ways to honor him. This segment of Tradition and Discovery is one way of doing that. It contains four essays plus brief encomia in honor of Phil.

One essay is by Gus Breytspraak, who extends prior research done with Phil to further understand Bill Poteat’s relation to Polanyi after his “Orphic Dismemberment.” Mihály Héder, who has worked with Phil in Hungary, extends Polanyi’s fiduciary program to help us understand and develop an ethical response to the challenges and opportunities of AI. Gábor István Bíró was exposed to Polanyi when Phil lectured in Budapest and follows up on early conversations to suggest different ways to locate Polanyi’s writings on economics. Finally, Bruce Vojak comes to Polanyi from a different arena: business innovation. His essay identifies how Polanyian concepts illumine serial innovators, people who can both solve consumer problems and increase a business’s value.

Apart from these contributions to Tradition and Discovery, do be on the lookout for an additional collection of essays by Polanyians that includes an interview with Phil. Entitled Dwelling in and Breaking Out: The Comprehensive Legacy of Michael Polanyi, it is forthcoming from Cambridge Scholars Press.

Paul Lewis
Former General and Managing Editor of TAD

Phil Mullins’ C.V.

Phil Mullins’ C.V. in HTML PDF

Encomia

  • Encomium for Phil Mullins, by Paul Lewis HTML PDF
  • Encomium for Phil Mullins, by Mary Jo Nye HTML PDF
  • Encomium for Phil Mullins, by Struan Jacobs HTML PDF

Essays

  • Gus Breytspraak – Further Thoughts on Polanyi’s Relation to What Bill Poteat Was Doing after His Orphic Dismemberment
    (HTML PDF)
  • Gábor István Bíró – In Pursuit of the Place of Economics in Polanyi’s Social Thought
    (HTML PDF)
  • Mihály Héder – Knowing your robot: the fiduciary program in the age of AI
    (HTML PDF)
  • Bruce A. Vojak – From Peeled Carrots to Michael Polanyi: On the Epistemology of Business Innovation
    (HTML PDF)

Notes on Contributors

Gábor István Bíró (biro.gabor.István@gmail.com) is a Vice Head of Department and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Philosophy and History of Science at Budapest University of Technology and Economics and a research fellow at the Morals and Science Lendület Research Group at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Gus Breytspraak (gus.breytspraak@ottawa.edu) is Professor Emeritus, Social Ethics, from Ottawa University Kansas City. His recent research on Michael Polanyi has focused on the Study Groups Polanyi helped convene in the sixties.

Mihály Héder (hedermisi@gmail.com) teaches Research Methodology, Science and Technology Studies, Economics, and Philosophy of Technology at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He is involved in the creation and teaching of the Human-Centered AI Masters program.

Struan Jacobs (struanjacobs@gmail.com) taught social theory over many years at Deakin University, Australia. He researches Polanyi’s social thought in relation to the ideas of significant others, including Karl Popper, Friedrich Hayek, Edward Shils, and Thomas Kuhn.

Paul Lewis (lewis_pa@mercer.edu) is Professor of Religion, Mercer University, Macon, GA, and the current Preseident of the Polanyi Society.

Phil Mullins (mullins@missouriwestern.edu) was the TAD editor for more than 20 years and has been a President of the Polanyi Society. He is Professor Emeritus at Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Mary Jo Nye (mary.nye@oregonstate.edu) is the Thomas Hart and Mary Jones Horning Professor of the Humanities Emerita and professor of history emerita at Oregon State University.

Bruce Vojak (bvojak@breakthrough-innovation-advisors.com) is managing director of Breakthrough Innovation Advisors, LLC.