John J. McDermott: A Legacy

Dear Colleague,

I am pleased to invite you to present a personal tribute to the late American philosopher John J. McDermott during a special event in his honor. The event will take place Friday, October 21, 2022 at Queens College, CUNY in New York, with an option to participate remotely.

Richard J. Bernstein, the Vera List Professor of Philosophy at The New School for Social Research, and John Lachs, Centennial Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Vanderbilt University, will offer keynote remarks.

An eminent scholar, McDermott was an indefatigable force behind the revival of classical American philosophy after decades of inattention to that tradition by the professional mainstream. Perhaps more significantly, however, McDermott was a gifted teacher for whom education was a calling. Beloved by generations of students who learned from his impressive erudition and were nurtured by his generous spirit, McDermott bequeathed a living legacy that will endure for decades to
come.

This gathering of former students, colleagues, and friends honors McDermott’s legacy as a teacher, a mentor, and a deeply special person who touched our lives. Tributes can be given in person or remotely via the video conferencing platform Zoom. There will be time for questions and discussion after each tribute. Please note that, to include as many voices as possible, tributes will be limited to 10 minutes.

If you would like to be included in the program, please let David Sprintzen know by June 1 and indicate whether you prefer to participate in person or remotely. You may send an email to dsprintz@gmail.com.

The planning committee looks forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Dr. David Sprintzen