George Sylvester Morris
Encyclopedia
George Sylvester Morris (November 15, 1840 – March 23, 1889) was an American
educator and philosophical writer, born in Norwich
, Vermont
. He was the son of a well known abolitionist and temperance man. In 1861, he graduated from Dartmouth College
, served in the Union army for two years during the American Civil War
, and taught at Dartmouth
in 1863-64.
He studied philosophy
and theology
at Union Theological Seminary (New York) and then in Germany
for several years, after which, in 1870, the University of Michigan
appointed him professor of modern languages and literature. He arranged for John Dewey
's first college level teaching position at the University of Michigan. He was also offered the chair of philosophy at Bowdoin College
, which he declined in view of Bowdoin's wish for some assurance of his soundness in Christian doctrine. In January 1878 he gave twenty lectures at Johns Hopkins University
(Hopkins Hall Lectures, which were open to the public) in the History of Philosophy. In 1880 he resigned his chair at Michigan, and accepted a position at Johns Hopkins, where he remained until 1884, lecturing on such topics as British Philosophy
, German Aesthetics
, and ethics
. At Johns Hopkins Morris was one of John Dewey
's main teachers. He also gave a course of twelve public lectures on British Thought and Thinkers (which he would later publish in book form), and served as president of the Metaphysical Club.
History of Philosophy (two volumes, 1872–74) and an edition of Philosophical Classics by Gregg, and he wrote:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and philosophical writer, born in Norwich
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. He was the son of a well known abolitionist and temperance man. In 1861, he graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, served in the Union army for two years during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and taught at Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1863-64.
He studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Union Theological Seminary (New York) and then in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for several years, after which, in 1870, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
appointed him professor of modern languages and literature. He arranged for John Dewey
John Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey was an important early developer of the philosophy of pragmatism and one of the founders of functional psychology...
's first college level teaching position at the University of Michigan. He was also offered the chair of philosophy at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, which he declined in view of Bowdoin's wish for some assurance of his soundness in Christian doctrine. In January 1878 he gave twenty lectures at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
(Hopkins Hall Lectures, which were open to the public) in the History of Philosophy. In 1880 he resigned his chair at Michigan, and accepted a position at Johns Hopkins, where he remained until 1884, lecturing on such topics as British Philosophy
British philosophy
British philosophy refers to the philosophical tradition of the people of the United Kingdom and of its citizens abroad.-Roger Bacon:Roger Bacon, O.F.M. , also known as Doctor Mirabilis , was an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who placed considerable emphasis on empirical methods...
, German Aesthetics
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
, and ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
. At Johns Hopkins Morris was one of John Dewey
John Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey was an important early developer of the philosophy of pragmatism and one of the founders of functional psychology...
's main teachers. He also gave a course of twelve public lectures on British Thought and Thinkers (which he would later publish in book form), and served as president of the Metaphysical Club.
Publications
Morris published a translation of Ueberweg'sFriedrich Ueberweg
Friedrich Ueberweg , was a German historian of philosophy.He was born at Leichlingen, in Rhenish Prussia, where his father was a Lutheran pastor. Educated at Göttingen and Berlin, he qualified at Bonn as Privatdozent in philosophy...
History of Philosophy (two volumes, 1872–74) and an edition of Philosophical Classics by Gregg, and he wrote:
- British Thought and Thinkers (1880)
- Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: A Critical Exposition (1882)
- Philosophy and Christianity (1883)
- Hegel's Philosophy of the State and of History (1887)