Philosophy professor and internationally renowned magician Larry Hass will give a lecture and demonstration titled “What Does Magic Teach Us” at Southwestern University on Monday, Nov. 15, at 4:30 p.m. in the Caldwell-Carvey Foyer of the Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center.

Hass earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently Professor of Humanities at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where his wife, Marjorie, is president. Hass organizes a “Theory and Art of Magic” series at Austin College that features widely respected magicians.

As a professional magician himself, Hass has performed from coast to coast, including many times in Las Vegas and at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading teachers of magicians and is author of the best-selling magic book, Transformations: Creating Magic Out of Tricks.

At the Nov. 15 lecture, Hass will perform magic and invite audience members to consider the fundamental place of illusion and wonder in our everyday lives. He also will suggest ways in which the study of magic can contribute to academic disciplines such as history, psychology, philosophy, theater, religion and cultural studies.  

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Molly Jensen at jensenm@southwestern.edu. The event is co-sponsored by the Departments of Religion and Philosophy, Theater, Communication Studies, and History.