author
De Witt H. (De Witt Henry) Parker
1885–1949
A Harvard-trained philosopher who spent much of his career at the University of Michigan, he wrote accessibly about aesthetics, ethics, and metaphysics. His books helped bring big philosophical questions to general readers as well as students.
1 Audiobook
The Principles of Aesthetics
by De Witt H. (De Witt Henry) Parker
About the author
Born in New York City on April 17, 1885, he studied at Harvard, earning his BA in 1906 and his PhD in philosophy in 1908. During his academic life, he became known for writing on aesthetics, ethics, and metaphysics, combining careful analysis with a readable style.
He taught philosophy at the University of Michigan and later served as chair of the department. Among his best-known books are The Principles of Aesthetics, The Self and Nature, and Human Values, works that show his wide range of interests and his effort to connect philosophy with lived experience.
He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1949, the year of his death. Although he is less widely known today than some of his contemporaries, his writing still reflects an ambitious attempt to explain beauty, value, and human experience in clear, engaging terms.