Enlightening students since 1973, professor Larry Blackman has been an integral part of the philosophy department and of the Geneseo campus community.
This fall will mark Blackman’s last semester at Geneseo, and he will officially retire in the fall of 2011. Although Geneseo and the philosophy department may not be ready to say goodbye, Blackman said that he’s looking forward to retirement.
“I’ll be 70 in January. I’ve enjoyed my time at Geneseo – particularly teaching – but at a certain time, it’s time to go,” said Blackman.
Two years ago, Blackman was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He now suffers from short-term memory loss and minor tremors in his right hand. He said, “The disease is very slow, which is what people don’t realize. In 20 years it will be much worse. But who knows what I’ll be doing in 20 years? For now, it’s manageable, and it doesn’t have an effect on my outside life.”
“Even if I didn’t have Parkinson’s, I would be retiring,” Blackman continued. He has worked hard for 40 years, and his retirement is well deserved. He has published books, written articles and organized major philosophy conferences. Blackman has taught over 30 different philosophy courses and has served on of a number of committees and organizations; he once chaired the department of political science and international relations. He also held the title of Livingston County Golf Champion in 1988.
In retirement, Blackman said that he would like to get back into genealogy and study more of his family’s history. Blackman once published a book on his own family history, which traces back to the surname Timberlake. He laughed while he said, “Sadly, I don’t think there’s any relation to Justin.” He also said he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and his cat, Blacky.
Blackman offered some insight for the philosophy majors: “If an individual wants to be in the field, a Ph.D. in philosophy is required. My advice to anyone who wants to be in philosophy, to be realistic, is that you might not get a job. It is wise to have an alternative career choice. It’s a demanding position, but very valuable for law, languages and teaching.”
“It’s important that you get into a field that you enjoy doing, which might mean making less money,” he said. “Realistically, you might not end up going into a field that you begin with.”
Speaking from experience, Blackman said he initially intended to become a Presbyterian minister and explained, “I majored in philosophy because I thought it would help with theology. I became a skeptic on the way to the altar. It was natural for me to go to grad school in philosophy.”
But the best advice Blackman said he could give to anyone? “Take time to smell the flowers. It’s as simple as that.” He has impacted the lives of many, and Blackman’s presence will surely be missed here at Geneseo.
Favorite things:
Movie: Barbarella
Book: Instant Pogo by Walt Kelly
Musician: Ludwig van Beethoven
Philosopher: Bertrand Russell
Animal: Cat
Sports: Golf, basketball