Practicalities, notation, etc

Concerning the overview of the boxes

References to published items

Here and in the following, references to Prior's work as well as editions of his work use the Øhrstrøm/Flo bibliography at this WWW-site, or – when necessary – the Additions to Bibliography (the referencing system used is explained in the respective documents). The Øhrstrøm/Flo bibliography has been published in [Copeland 1996], but the version here contains some corrections.

Other references, e.g. [Copeland 1996] or [Kenny 1970] refer to publications listed in the document Secondary literature.

Basic presentation of the items in the boxes

Each box is presented in the form of an overview of its contents. In general, the items (sometimes a group of items) of each box are listed in the order of appearance within the box.

Apart from letters, the material can be subdivided as follows:

- offprints from published papers; 
these are marked by their identification in the Øhrstrøm/Flo bibliography (e.g.: 1955m), or, when necessary, their identification in Additions to Bibliography.

- originals for published papers (usually typewritten, in a few cases handwritten);
These are marked by the signature ORIG together with their identification in the Øhrstrøm/Flo bibliography, or in Additions to Bibliography (e.g. ORIG of Additions to Bibliography 1964k).

– If no further comments are given, the original paper can safely be assumed to have been written within or not long before the year of publication.

- handwritten originals for published papers; 
These are marked by the signature HW together with their identification in the Øhrstrøm/Flo bibliography.

- typewritten unpublished papers;
These are marked by the signature TU.

- handwritten unpublished papers;
These are marked by the signature HWU.

- other kinds of material, for instance lecture notes;
These are marked as either T for typewritten or HW for handwritten.

The number of pages is added wherever possible. It should be noted that "unpublished" is in general a hypothesis; in many cases it is, of course, impossible to establish conclusively that the item in question has never occurred in any form in any periodical. Nevertheless, given our rather extensive research so far it is highly probable that the hypothesis "unpublished" holds whereever indicated.

Additional information on each item is, as a rule, found via one or more links. In some cases I have, however, added a short comment at the top level, i.e. along with the brief description of the item in question. I have done so when (i) I have been able to provide a piece of relevant information, and (ii) this seems to me to provide useful "immediate information" (for instance: 'Theological').

Main features of information found for an item:

Information is typically found in 'Abstract', 'Information', and 'Footnote', the first two are always given as links, whereas "footnotes" occur immediately after the main description of the item in question. Information in the form of 'Dating' and 'inter-linking' is usually found at the top level, and sometimes further dealt with in the underlying documents (via the links). The following headlines or designations of links indicate the kinds of information given:

Signatures
The person responsible for information given via a link is indicated by his or her signature (usually in connection with 'Abstract', 'Information', and 'Footnote').

Dating
If there is no doubt about the dating, it is found at the top level. With respect to published items, these have in some cases been written considerably earlier than the date of publication; this is usually made clear in further information (via links) on such items. Sometimes a relatively certain dating is indicated as 'Ca. 1957?' or 'DATE: 1957-58?'. Where the dating is uncertain, this is indicated by 'DATE?'.

Inter-linking
A very important feature of this presentation of Prior's work is its emphasis on internal relations between various items - for instance, relations between published an unpublished papers, relations between papers and correspondence, and so forth. Cross-references established as links indicate such relations. The links are sometimes given at top level, and sometimes via further information, as seems most suitable.

Per Hasle is responsible for all inter-linking. Important background information can also be found in [Kenny 1970], as well as Geach and Kenny's introductions to [1971a] and [1976b], and Kit Fine's introduction to [1977a].

Abstract
This is usually associated with unpublished or inaccessible papers, and leads to thorough information on the item. It gives a summary of the item in question; sometimes it takes the form of an extended abstract or review.

Information
This leads to various sorts of relatively substantial information: e.g., the main themes of a correspondence, discussion on dating, the relation between an item and conferences or other relevant events in Prior's life. Sometimes also a brief summary of the contents of the item.

Footnote
Brief additional information.

"Bodleian Remarks" by Mary Prior
To many descriptions of individual items, valuable information has been added by Mary Prior, who made some notes to earlier versions of this overview; information etc. quoting Mary Prior refer to these notes, unless otherwise indicated. In the early Seventies, Mary Prior also added notes directly to some of the material. Due to the passing of time, Mary Prior herself considers these early notes to be more authoritative than later comments. I shall single out the former by adding 'BR' (Bodleian Remark) when quoting the early notes.