The Great Idea Man

John Murray Cuddihy reveiwed Philosopher at Large: An Intellectual Autobiography, 1902-1976, by Mortimer J. Adler, at The New York Times.

"The turning point in Adler's 'intellectual autobiography' occurred during his sophomore year at Columbia when he entered John Erskine's General Honors course and discovered 'the classics of Western civilization.' Perhaps more important for Adler than the 'great books' themselves was his preceptor's method of conducting their discussion, namely, 'in the manner of highly civil conversations about important themes and in a spirit of inquiry.'"

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