The Denison University Goodspeed Lecture Fund presents British philosopher Sir Anthony Kenny who will give a lecture on "Happiness: In This Life or the Next?" Kenny will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 30) in the Burton Morgan lecture hall.

Kenny is one of the most distinguished academics in Britain. He initially trained as a Roman Catholic priest at the Venerable English College in Rome and earned his doctorate in sacred theology at the Gregorian University there. After being ordained however, he questioned the validity of the Catholic doctrine and is now an agnostic. He earned his second doctorate, in philosophy, from the University of Oxford in 1961. His interests lie in the philosophy of mind, ancient and scholastic philosophy, the philosophy of Wittgenstein, and the philosophy of religion. He has made significant contributions to Analytical Thomism, a movement whose aim is to present the thoughts of St. Thomas Aquinas in the style of modern philosophy by clearing away the trappings and obscurities of traditional Thomism.

Kenny was Lecturer in Philosophy at Exeter and Trinity Colleges, Oxford, and served as University Lecturer from 1965 to 1978. From 1964 to 1978, he was a Fellow of Balloi and was Master of Balloi from 1978 to 1989 and subsequently an Honorary Fellow. He was both Warden of Rhodes House and manager of the Rhodes Scholarship Program and Professional Fellow of St. John's College, and thereafter Fellow Emeritus. He also was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Development of the University of Oxford from 1984 to 2001. He retired in 2001.

Within the University of Oxford, Kenny held many important positions, including curator of the Bodleian Library (1985-1988), and a delegate and member of the Finance Committee of the Oxford University Press (1986-1993). He also was the editor of The Oxford Magazine. He earned his doctor of letters degree and an honorary doctorate in civil law in 1987.

Kenny has published more than 40 books and was a member of the Board of the British Library (1991-1996) and chairman of the Society for Protection of Science and Learning (1989-1993). He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1974 also serving as its vice president and president. A member of the American Philosophical Society, he has been a visiting professor at Chicago, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, Cornell, Stanford and Rockefeller Universities. He was appointed Knight Bachelor by the Queen of England in 1992.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville -- The Goodspeed Lecture Fund presents Sir Anthony Kenny to speak on "Happiness: In This Life or the Next?"; 7:30 p.m., Monday (Oct. 30), Burton Morgan Lecture Hall (150 Ridge Road). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6241 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

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