Photo: Center for the Study of The Great Ideas / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Mortimer J. Adler earns my deep respect as a philosopher who refused to lock knowledge away in the academy. Rooted in the Aristotelian and Thomistic traditions, he taught at Columbia and Chicago and chaired the board of Encyclopaedia Britannica, yet his lasting gift to me is How to Read a Book, a generous guide to thinking harder about what we read. I love his conviction that serious ideas belong to ordinary people, not just specialists. That democratic faith in learning feels increasingly precious. He died in 2001, but the habits of mind he championed still teach anyone willing to listen.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mortimer J. Adler
- Name (Japanese)
- モーティマー・アドラー
- Reading
- もーてぃまー・あどらー
- Born
- December 28, 1902 – June 28, 2001
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Tiger
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- philosopher / writer / university teacher / educator / television presenter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Columbia University
Awards & achievements
- National Humanities Medal
- 1978 St. Louis Literary Award
- 1990 Charles Frankel Prize
- 1976 Aquinas Medal
- John Jay Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Mortimer J. Adler born?
December 28, 1902 – June 28, 2001.
Where is Mortimer J. Adler from?
Mortimer J. Adler is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Mortimer J. Adler do?
Mortimer J. Adler works as philosopher, writer, university teacher, educator, television presenter.
Philosopher — see all → · Writer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.