Conference June 21-23, 2002

June 19, 2002 - For three days this weekend, former students and colleagues of renowned philosophy professor John J. McDermott will gather to honor him for a half-century of teaching and a milestone birthday - 70 years of age. John J. McDermott is one of America's most distinguished philosophers. He has received numerous awards for teaching excellence, authored many volumes on American Philosophy, was a founder of the American Montessori Society and is a past-President of the Society of the Advancement of American Philosophy. The conference will take place June 21, 22, 23 at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, 720 Northern Boulevard in Brookville.

His interests include many areas of philosophy and culture including ethics, aesthetics, social philosophy, philosophy of education, and the history of philosophy. His ideas have appeared in virtually every conceivable format: scholarly essays and book chapters, forewords and introductions, interviews, editorials and letters to the editor and even poetry. In addition to his own writing, McDermott is a renowned champion of the ideas of other philosophers and has written extensively on many major figures including William James, Josiah Royce and James Dewey.

On Friday June 21, a welcoming address will be offered by C.W. Post philosophy professor Arthur Lothstein followed by a roundtable discussion on "Education," including McDermott, and dinner with comments from family, friends, and colleagues of McDermott. Saturday will feature two roundtable discussions featuring McDermott and colleagues ­ on "The Aesthetic Dimension" and on "Medicine and Health" ­ followed by dinner and a concert by "The Mat Sherwin Band." Sunday will feature a roundtable discussion on "Culture and Politics," followed by lunch and a presentation by McDermott.

Born in New York City in 1932, McDermott graduated from St. Francis College in Brooklyn cum laude in 1953, and earned a Ph.D. in philosophy "with great distinction" from Fordham University in 1959. After earning his Ph.D., McDermott taught high school English and Latin but soon moved on to teach philosophy and English at St. Francis College, then CUNY Queens College. In 1977, he moved to Texas A&M University where he is currently University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Head of Humanities in Medicine.

Registration fee of $90 includes conference, Friday and Saturday dinners, Sunday lunch, refreshments and concert. Fees may be reduced for participants who do not plan to participate in meals; call for additional information. On-campus overnight accommodations are available at an additional cost. For further information, reservations, or information on neighboring hotels or motels, please call (516) 299-2341 or e-mail dsprintz@liu.edu.

Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, the Long Island University Institute for Sustainable Development, and the Academic Vice President of Long Island University.