A man known by many as “the world’s happiest philosopher” will share his wisdom at Eastern Kentucky University when he presents the inaugural Ron Messerich Lecture in Philosophy and Religion.
Dr. Tom Morris, also a prolific author, will present “True Success: The Art of Achievement in Times of Change”, on Thursday, Oct. 13. His talk, free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in O’Donnell Hall of the Whitlock Building.
Morris became famous as an engaging speaker and teacher, known for his high energy, upbeat personality, and for applying ancient wisdom to everyday life and work situations. He was a highly popular professor during his 15 years at Notre Dame, often having an eighth of the entire student body in class, and has been featured by such major news outlets as NPR, CNN, The New York Times, and USA Today.
In addition to his professorship and media appearances, Morris has written more than 20 books. The majority focus on using philosophy for personal growth, success, and examining popular culture through ancient teachings. His 12th book, “True Success,” garnered widespread acclaim and established him as a philosopher working on the public stage. The book that followed, “If Aristotle Ran General Motors,” shared advice and wisdom from ancient thinkers on the link between happiness and excellence in the workplace. He is also the author of that bestselling yellow book found in every philosophy student’s home, “Philosophy for Dummies.”
Along with his career in philosophy, Morris has enjoyed time as a rock guitarist and author of fiction. His two novels, “The Golden Palace” and “The Oasis Within,” have been described as the sum of different parts, notably Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and “The Alchemist.”
In addition to his 33 years teaching at Eastern, Messerich also served as the chair of EKU’s Department of Philosophy and Religion for several years. He specializes in metaphysics, Aristotle’s ethics and 20th century philosophy. For nearly 30 of his years at Eastern, he has taught honors humanities in EKU Honors, where he has mentored more than 30 senior thesis projects. He is known for his ability to relate complex philosophical material with absolute clarity to his students.
The Morris is lecture is sponsored by the New York Community Trust. For more information, visit www.nycommunitytrust.org.