born Dec. 28, 1902, New York, N.Y., U.S.
died June 28, 2001, San Mateo, Calif.
U.S. philosopher, educator, and editor.
He earned a doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University (1928) and taught philosophy of law from 1930 at the University of Chicago, where with Robert M. Hutchins he promoted the idea of liberal education through regular discussions of the great books. Together they edited the 54-volume Great Books of the Western World (1952); for Encyclopædia Britannica , Inc., they edited an annual, The Great Ideas Today (from 1961), and the 10-volume Gateway to the Great Books (1963). In 1969 Adler became director of planning for the 15th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica , published in 1974. His many books include How to Read a Book (1940), How to Think About God (1980), Six Great Ideas (1981), and Ten Philosophical Mistakes (1985).