John Lachs, the Hungarian-born American philosopher, author of In Love with Life, The Relevance of Philosophy to Life, and Intermediate Man, passed away on November 14th, 2023 at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. Born on July 17, 1934 in Budapest, Hungary, Lachs was Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.
Lachs was 10 years old on December 29, 1944, the day the Soviet Red Army encircled Budapest. When the city fell, a years-long occupation ensued. Lachs and his parents passed undetected across two patrolled borders while fleeing Hungary. Those hardships were formative. Lachs later described them as “opportunities” to develop his “latent reflective tendencies.” They called to mind “the evanescence of life and the uncontrollability of fortune,” awakening within him a desire to “know about God, the meaning of life, and the right comportment towards death.”
In his decades-long career as a philosophy professor, Lachs made the case for the relevance of philosophy to life. The rise of the modern university wrought a change in the way philosophy was practiced. Philosophy narrowed its horizons. Its largely abstract and theoretical preoccupations bore little resemblance to the ancient quest for the good life. Lachs’s objective was not merely an effort to theorize about philosophy in a different way. Lachs embodied the philosophical ideas he championed in the classroom, in writing, and in leadership positions across the profession.
Lachs first studied philosophy at McGill University. A senior seminar taught by T. G. Henderson introduced him to the writings of Spanish-born American philosopher George Santayana. Lachs would eventually become one of the foremost authorities on Santayana and a founding member of the Society for Advancement of American Philosophy.
Lachs earned his PhD from Yale where he studied with the legendary Wilfred Sellars, Paul Weiss, and Brand Blanshard. Sellars and Blanshard co-directed his dissertation. Blanshard, Lachs recalled, was “all encouragement and appreciation,” whereas Sellars was “all critical bite.” Lachs took both approaches to heart, deploying them with equal facility in his own teaching.
Lachs began his distinguished career at the College of William and Mary. He later moved to Vanderbilt University, where he remained for more than 50 years. During his time at Vanderbilt, Lachs taught over 10,000 students in his famous ethics course and was first reader on some 72 doctoral dissertations. Lachs’s generosity and respect for individuals and their choices made him a superb mentor of graduate students. “My tendency,” he explained, “is to let them write on what they wish and derive instruction from how I suggest that they trim their luxuriant growths.”
Lachs penned some 21 books and more than 150 articles. Each of these contributes to a sophisticated professional discourse, while at the same time asking a simple question: How can philosophy improve our lives? Lachs recalled learning from Santayana that “the ultimate issue in philosophy and in everyday life is the health of one’s soul.” For Lachs, the professional activities of the professor went hand in glove with the personal quest for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
Lachs’s belief in the personal and social value of philosophy prompted him to write one of his most celebrated books, In Love with Life: Reflections on the Joy of Living and Why We Hate to Die. In it, Lachs offers philosophy to the general public, showing in part how reflection can help us cope with life’s challenges, including fear, pain, and suffering. An important caveat is that, for Lachs, philosophy is more than just a consolation for life’s ills: it is an inherently delightful activity by which we learn how to live our best lives.
Observing the overwhelming response to In Love with Life, Lachs wrote that it showed him “the magnitude of the need people experience for philosophical reflections on what they do and what befalls them.” Lachs would continue to advance the project of meeting that need as chair of the American Philosophical Association’s Centennial Committee.
Lachs lived the pragmatism of William James, C.S. Peirce, and John Dewey, embodying the objective of improving the human condition. Whether he was preparing a graduate student for professional success, bringing philosophy to the local community, publishing on the latest problems in biomedical ethics, or listening attentively while a friend confided in him, Lachs’s default posture, as he described it, was “energetic assault upon the world.” His aim was always to make life better.
Everyday life, for Lachs, offered innumerable occasions for joy. There was the pleasure of scratching one’s head, of sitting in the sun, of frolicking in a freshly raked pile of leaves. There was the beauty of the redbud trees when they bloomed in spring. There was Mozart’s music, friendly conversation, and holding hands with your sweetheart. Lachs’s word for moments of that sort was “self-justifying.”
While Lachs considered himself an optimist, he made a point of adding that optimism, for humans, is possible only in the short term. “Pain and eventual loss,” he wrote, “appear to me inevitable elements of the human condition.” In relation to those elements, Lachs lived the philosophy of the Stoics. “At the point where we run out of ameliorative strategies,” he conceded, “graceful acceptance of whatever fate may throw our way makes for inner peace and better life.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, upon the death of his friend Thoreau, observed that his friend could not be contained within the bounds of any role or profession, for Thoreau “[aimed] at a much more comprehensive calling, the art of living well.” Lachs heard and responded to the same calling. He articulated, taught, and demonstrated the art of living well to the highest degree. His life enriched this world immeasurably. His passing leaves a void equally immeasurable. May our memories of him remind us of the good things life holds and help us rejoice in them.
John Lachs Obituary 2023 - Harpeth Hills Memory Garden, Funeral Home, & Cremation Center
John Lachs
July 17, 1934 — November 14, 2023
Nashville
Dr. John Lachs died peacefully at his home in Nashville on November 14, 2023, surrounded by family, friends, caregivers, and his beloved cats. His death was followed by a most spectacular sunset, which was seen from his house across the city to the Vanderbilt University campus. He frequently enjoyed the sunset from his home, and encouraged others to join him in doing so, and those present thought of it as his gift as he departed from a wonderful life.
Over a distinguished career in academia spanning more than 50 years, John was known as a brilliant mind and a generous friend to thousands of students and colleagues. As Centennial Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt, he was frequently recognized for his unique ability to engage with his students on challenging topics about human nature, receiving the Madison Sarratt Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the Vanderbilt Alumni Education Award twice, in addition to other honors.
John was a dynamic presence within the Vanderbilt community. His Introduction to Ethics class was the subject of campus legend as one of the most sought-after courses among students of all backgrounds and majors. Over the years, he enthusiastically imparted his inimitable mix of wisdom, critical thinking, and humor to more than 10,000 students – leading him to remark that he taught many of his former students’ grandchildren. He directed more than 70 dissertations over the course of his tenure and helped guide his graduate students toward their careers. He greatly appreciated in his students their questioning nature and always sought to support and encourage their individual pathways.
John was a prolific thinker and writer. His work in philosophy carried on the insights of the American pragmatist tradition, the serious vigor of the philosophy of George Santayana, and the ancient Stoic school’s precepts of dignity and acceptance. His nine books and more than 150 professional articles were devoted to making the case for protecting liberty, valuing individuality, and making room to appreciate the fact that life is finite. In Love With Life, the title of one of his books, is an apt description of his philosophical and personal dispositions.
John Lachs was born in Budapest, Hungary on July 17, 1934. He lived through World War II as a child and emigrated with his parents to Montreal, Canada in 1951. He attended McGill University and graduated with his bachelors degree in 1956 and his masters degree in 1957. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Yale in 1961. He began his teaching career in the Philosophy Department at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1959, and subsequently joined the faculty at Vanderbilt in 1967, where he continued his work until his retirement in 2021.
John’s devotion to his work was only surpassed by his deep love and affection for his family. He married the love of his life, Shirley Mellow, in 1967 and they spent the next 49 years together until her death in 2016. They raised two children, Sheila Marie and James Richard. John and Shirley loved to write, spend time at their beach home in Florida, and travel together, especially to New York City. They enjoyed every meal in each other’s company. They elicited the best in one other and brought a special joy to their friends. The loss of his wife and best friend was extremely difficult for John, and his family is grateful that they are now reunited.
John had an enduring love of life and enthusiasm for living. He enjoyed many things: listening to classical music, observing nature, watching the sunset, eating sweet desserts, feeding anyone and everyone (including the buzzards visiting his yard), and being helpful to others. He loved spending time with and watching the interactions of his cats, Lucy and Socrates. He was generous to all in need.
The family would like to thank Alive Hospice as well as the caregivers who made his life comfortable during his last few months: Dominique Hanserd, Kaland Jones, Malenche Marable, Everette Martin, Martha Morrow, Krystal Nabors, Kate Pearse, Aamore Pryor-Pruitt, and Lena Roach. Special thanks go out to his colleagues, former students, and friends, too many to name, for beautiful visits and times of connection, always and especially during the last three months.
A memorial service will be held on December 16 at 2pm at Benton Chapel at Vanderbilt University, with a reception afterwards. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the animal rescue organization of your choice or to Vanderbilt University to the John Lachs Ethics Research and Engagement Fund.
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