Morris was born in
Norwich,
Vermont. He was the son of a well known abolitionist and temperance man. In 1861, he graduated from
Dartmouth College, served in the Union army for two years during the
American Civil War, and taught at
Dartmouth in 1863–1864. He studied
philosophy and
theology at
Union Theological Seminary (New York) and then in
Germany (under
Hermann Ulrici and
Friedrich Adolf Trendelenburg) for several years, after which, in 1870, the
University of Michigan appointed him professor of modern languages and literature. He arranged for
John Dewey's first college level teaching position at the University of Michigan. He was also offered the chair of philosophy at
Bowdoin College, which he declined in view of Bowdoin's wish for some assurance of his soundness in Christian doctrine. In January 1878 he gave twenty lectures at
Johns Hopkins University (Hopkins Hall Lectures, which were open to the public) on the
history of philosophy. He continued lecturing regularly at Hopkins through 1884, on such topics as
British philosophy, German
aesthetics, and
ethics. In 1881, he was appointed to the chair of ethics, history of philosophy, and
logic at Michigan. In 1883 he became chair of the Michigan department, a position he held until his death. At Johns Hopkins Morris was one of John Dewey's main teachers. He also gave a course of twelve public lectures on
British Thought and Thinkers (which he would later publish in book form). ==Publications==