iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app

Tom Morris
GET UPDATES FROM Tom Morris
 
Tom Morris, Ph.D.

Tom Morris has become one of the most active public philosophers in the world due to his unusual ability to bring the greatest wisdom of the past into the challenges of the present.

A native of Durham, North Carolina and a Distinguished Alumnus of Durham Academy, Tom was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, which has honored him, along with Michael Jordan, as a recipient of their "Distinguished Young Alumnus Award." He holds a Ph.D. in both Philosophy and Religious Studies from Yale University, as well as other, honorary doctorates in recognition of his public work of bringing practical philosophy back into the cultural mix. Tom served for fifteen years as a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, where he quickly became one of their most popular teachers, in many years having as much as an eigh th of the entire student body in his classes. He is now Chairman of the Morris Institute for Human Values.

Tom is the author of 20 published books. His twelfth book, True Success: A New Philosophy of Excellence, launched him into a new adventure as a public philosopher and adviser to the corporate world. His audiences have included such organizations as Toyota, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Merrill Lynch, Verizon, IBM, Coca Cola, The US Air Force, Wells Real Estate Funds, International Paper, Price Waterhouse, Target Stores, Mattel, NBC Sports, Business Week Magazine, Bayer, Deloitte and Touche, Federated Investors, Mass Mutual, Prudential, Raymond James, Citi Mortgage, Goldman Sachs, Taco Bell, Campbell Soup, MasterFoods, Minute Maid, The American Heart Association, United Health Group, and The Young President's Organization, to name just as few, as well as many of the largest national and international trade associations.

Tom is also the author of the highly acclaimed and bestselling leadership classic If Aristotle Ran General Motors and the big yellow book, often seen in college dorms nationwide the night before final exams, Philosophy for Dummies. Other more recent books include The Art of Achievement, The Stoic Art of Living and Superheroes and Philosophy, where Superman and Batman finally meet Plato and Aristotle. Tom’s newest bestselling book about life and business is entitled, If Harry Potter Ran General Electric: Leadership Wisdom from the World of the Wizards. It's currently bringing magic into people's lives around the world. His romp through social media is the little book entitled Twisdom (Twitter Wisdom): A Philosopher Ponders Life in 140 Characters or Less, available exclusively through Amazon.com

Tom’s work has been featured, noticed, commented on, or covered by such diverse news outlets and media as CNN, NBC, CNBC, The Learning Channel (TLC), NPR's "Morning Edition," NPR's "Talk of the Nation," the New York Times, Fast Company, the New York Times Magazine, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, the Washington Post, the Las Vegas Sun, USA Weekly, the Economist, Readers’ Digest, the Globe and Mail, Die Zeit, German Elle, Voce:SA, L'Agefi,ABC.com, The Leaky Cauldron, and many other magazines, newspapers, and websites across the globe.

Tom has also appeared as the philosopher he is in Special Features on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: DVD Collection presented by Lucas Film, and on The Complete Superman Collection DVD, presented by Warner Home Video. You will often see The Sage of Steel wherever wisdom is to be found.

Born Thomas Victor Morris, and known by his students as "TV Morris", he is the first philosopher in history to appear in network TV commercials, where he has served as the national spokesman for Winnie the Pooh, Disney Home Videos. He is also the only card carrying philosopher ever to engage in early morning philosophy with Regis Philbin, on his talk show, and on "The Today Show" with Matt Lauer, among many other national broadcasts. Tom is known for bringing the insights of the great thinkers into the drama of everyday life with high energy and good humor. His message is helping to change lives and revolutionize business practices everywhere.

He just may be the world's happiest philosopher.

Entries by Tom Morris

Perfect Balance Is Not an Option

(7) Comments | Posted May 28, 2013 | 8:19 AM

We need some new truth about an old issue.

Most people suffer needlessly from a complete misconception about what life balance is.

I was asked not long ago to give a talk on life and work balance. I've been serving business groups as a philosopher and public speaker for...

Read Post

Improvising a Heroic Life: Whoever You Are, and Whatever You Do

(2) Comments | Posted May 10, 2013 | 12:46 PM

We need to understand more deeply and appreciate more fully the heroic path that's available to us in our work and lives, day to day.

The American clothier Brooks Brothers just sent its customers a remarkable email in which jazz great Wynton Marsalis was interviewed about his work and...

Read Post

The Proximity Principle: Innovation, Face-to-Face

(3) Comments | Posted April 11, 2013 | 6:13 PM

Sometimes, simple things can have amazing results.

The best instigators of creative innovation have understood a simple, fundamental principle. Bring together a group of well disposed, talented, diverse and yet, in some ways, like-minded people -- between two and twenty, ideally -- put them in an environment where they can...

Read Post

The Philosopher King of Reality TV

(9) Comments | Posted March 6, 2013 | 11:06 AM

I've been watching too much reality TV. Well, maybe you have too. And I just had a dream the other night that, as a public philosopher, I was hosting a new show. Then, I realized that if it was a hit, I could have a huge new empire of reality...

Read Post

Insult, Offense and Rage: What Muslims and Americans Need to Know

(5) Comments | Posted September 25, 2012 | 3:25 PM

Contrary to widespread opinion, it's not actually possible to insult, offend, demean or disparage a great prophet, religion, nation or individual.

Of course, public events of late seem to soundly demonstrate the opposite. The well-publicized outbreak of demonstrations and violence in so many countries in recent days that has been...

Read Post

Interview With a Philosopher: A Conversation With Keith Wyma and Tobin Senefeld on Goldman Sachs

(2) Comments | Posted March 21, 2012 | 2:45 PM

If Aristotle ran Goldman Sachs, what sort of press do you think the company would be getting these days? How would employees, past and present, describe their culture?

I recently had the chance to read a terrific new book manuscript on what ethics really means for Wall Street and all...

Read Post

The Gift of Uncertainty

(15) Comments | Posted February 16, 2012 | 7:10 AM

Many people have told me recently that the most unsettling thing about the world right now is the amount and degree of uncertainty we all face in so many ways. A thick fog surrounds us and keeps us from having any clear view of what's next.

Politics has become its...

Read Post

Barbeque Wisdom: My Pulled Pork Epiphany at Southern Soul

(5) Comments | Posted November 9, 2011 | 11:46 AM

"Der Mensch ist, was er ißt."
Pop Translation: "You are what you eat."
- Ludwig A. Feuerbach

To a southerner, heaven is walking into a famous barbeque restaurant, breathing in all the amazing aromas coming from multiple outdoor wood-fired meat smokers, and then, after ordering a big plate...

Read Post

Interview With a Philosopher: Aristotle and Wittgenstein Walk Into a Bar -- Philosophy and Addiction

(0) Comments | Posted October 12, 2011 | 5:03 PM

We're in a sense continuing our discussions of philosophy and beverages that bring a buzz. We've covered the bitter and frothy brews, coffee and beer. Now it's time to look at the buzz itself when it goes bad, and too far. Today, after a nice, long summer vacation, I'm talking...

Read Post

Interview With a Philosopher: Lou Marinoff -- Part Two

(2) Comments | Posted July 22, 2011 | 3:07 PM

Today I'm continuing a conversation with Lou Marinoff, Professor and Chair of Philosophy at The City College of New York, and founding President of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. He's also the internationally bestselling author of Plato Not Prozac, among other books, and an advisor to world leaders.

Tom:...

Read Post

Interview With a Philosopher: Lou Marinoff -- Part One

(2) Comments | Posted July 20, 2011 | 3:50 PM

Today I'm talking with Lou Marinoff, Professor and Chair of Philosophy at The City College of New York, and founding President of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. He's the internationally bestselling author of Plato Not Prozac, among other books. Lou has also worked with global think-tanks such as...

Read Post

The Surprising Task of Getting Your Child Ready for College

(3) Comments | Posted June 23, 2011 | 2:07 PM

I want to talk today to parents who've recently attended a child's high school, upper school, or prep school graduation and are just a couple of months from taking or sending that child off to college. You may have heard a graduation talk on that grand day directed to your...

Read Post

Interview with a Philosopher: On Beer and Thought

(3) Comments | Posted May 16, 2011 | 6:00 AM

Beer and philosophy are often found together. In a previous interview, we looked at the relationship between coffee and philosophy. But there are two kinds of brew associated with deep thought. Poet A.E. Houseman wrote, "Oh many a peer of England brews Livelier liquor than the Muse, And malt does...

Read Post

Decisions About College -- and Life -- Right Now

(2) Comments | Posted April 19, 2011 | 12:22 PM

Today I want to address directly a group of readers across the nation who are caught up in a most difficult moment of choice. But what I want to say speaks to all the toughest decisions we ever make.

Most people think the month of April starts with the silly...

Read Post

Protect Your Joy

(6) Comments | Posted March 21, 2011 | 2:52 PM

Last night, in a discussion group I attended, there was a moment when we were talking about gladness, joy and other deeply positive emotions. A lady spoke up with a wistful touch of frustration, saying that every time she ever felt anything like joy, someone or something would snatch it...

Read Post

Interview with a Philosopher: Over Coffee

(50) Comments | Posted March 19, 2011 | 12:17 PM

Why does so much philosophy take place in bars and coffeehouses? What's the relationship between drinking and thinking?

Today, I'm talking to Scott F. Parker and Michael W. Austin, two philosophers seriously tweaked by java. Scott's a regular contributor to Rain Taxi Review of Books, and his writing has...

Read Post

A Beautiful Morning

(5) Comments | Posted March 9, 2011 | 11:36 AM

Egypt: Many years ago, on a beautiful morning.

The day had come for the old man and the boy to leave the oasis where they had begun to talk of important things, and return to their travel across the desert.

The next day had come and gone as well....

Read Post

Preparing for a Journey

(7) Comments | Posted February 24, 2011 | 5:05 PM

Egypt, many years ago. Day Two.

There was a nice light wind stirring the trees of the desert oasis in the mid-morning sun. The old camel driver was gathering his supplies, packing up food and storing water for the days to come. The young boy ran up to him. "Uncle,...

Read Post

The Oasis Within

(22) Comments | Posted February 8, 2011 | 5:10 PM

(Egypt: Many years ago.)

The old camel driver leaned back on the brightly colored blankets rolled up behind him and stacked against the base of a tree. He took a straw from his mouth, turned to the young boy with him, and said, "There is something I need to tell...

Read Post

Interview with a Philosopher: A Way to Have Deep Conversations Online... No, Really

(2) Comments | Posted January 24, 2011 | 7:17 PM

Assaf Peretz has provided a great place online for people to have deep conversations about things that matter. He earned a Ph.D. in mathematical logic at UC Berkeley, for which he received the prestigious Clay Liftoff Fellowship. Then, confounding everyone who assumes a mathematical logician can't be a fun, social...

Read Post