Philosophy scholars pay tribute to mentor

Beck

The late Lewis White Beck, who founded the doctoral program in the philosophy department and earned international prestige for his expertise on German philosopher Immanuel Kant, was known for a rich appreciation of everyday life's philosophical underpinnings.

Later this month, more than two dozen of his former doctoral students, who have gone on to build successful careers of their own, will honor their mentor with the Lewis White Beck Memorial Conference. They'll recall his life and work, talk about the role of philosophy in business and industry, and share the work they've done in the field.

The conference will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27. All sessions will be held in Room 1-101 of Dewey Hall on the River Campus and are open to the public.

Beck, who hosted the first International Kant Congress ever held outside of Germany, died last year after a nearly 50-year association with the University. He joined the faculty in 1949 as professor of philosophy and chair of the two-person department. He remained chair until 1966, also serving as associate dean and dean of the graduate school. Though he retired in 1979, Beck remained a regular on campus for many years, leading informal seminars and meeting with graduate students and friends.

The philosophy doctoral program gained international recognition under his guidance. Beck also started the department's undergraduate council and was the first recipient of the University's Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. He was a Guggenheim fellow, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Council of Learned Societies. He also served on the National Endowment for the Humanities Council.

Beck also enjoyed wide interests in history, literature, and astronomy. In the early 1970s, he drew national attention for a speech to the American Philosophical Association urging the study of the implications of life on other planets. Not only did humans need to be prepared to interpret evidence of extraterrestrial beings, he argued, but the discovery of other intelligent beings would seriously affect religious beliefs.

"Professor Beck's interest in the sciences testifies to his enormous range," said Deborah Modrak, department chair. "He was a serious philosopher, but he was also an intellectual with many interests, not restricted to narrow philosophical questions."

The conference will open Saturday morning with a memorial panel discussion on Beck's life and his importance as a scholar. Planned for Sunday is a panel on the use of philosophy skills in business and industry. Throughout the weekend, scholars will pay tribute to Beck by presenting papers on philosophical topics.